Veteran Democratic Connecticut state representative Kevin Ryan died at the age of 73.
Ryan, who was also assistant deputy speaker and on the public health committee, died Sunday, the New London Democratic Town Committee announced on Facebook.
Ryan had been treated for melanoma for nearly three years, former Republican state Rep. Michael Caron told CT Insider.
One of the state’s longest-serving members of the state house, Ryan was first elected to his 139th House District in 1992. The district includes Ledyard, Montville and Norwich in eastern Connecticut.
“Kevin Ryan was among the most dedicated and enthusiastic legislators, who was devoted to his district and serving the people of Ledyard, Montville, and Norwich,” Gov. Ned Lamont said in a statement. “He loved public service and was always ready and willing to listen to the views of the people he represented and take action to support their interests. Throughout my tenure as governor, Kevin has been one of the friendliest legislators that I’ve had the opportunity to work with, and I am going to miss his clever, sharp, and humorous personality.”
The governor ordered state flags lowered to half-staff in honor of Ryan on Monday. Flags will remain there until sunset on the date of Ryan’s internment, which has not been announced. Caron told CT Insider the funeral would be sometime after Thanksgiving.
“The Capitol will feel emptier without him, but the impact he made on his community, on this institution, and on each of us will endure,” House Speaker Matt Ritter and Majority Leader Jason Rojas said in a statement.
Ryan held degrees from Villanova University and the University of New Haven, as well as the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, according to the Hartford Courant.
