6 responses to “Daring Dames: Irene Ryan, Geologist and Politician”

1. 

   Lena Illig

   November 6, 2016

   Hello! I am writing a biography on Irene Ryan for the Alaska Women’s Hall of Fame. Her biography was lost and I have been put in charge to find it. I am trying to locate information on her, but unfortunately, have not been able to find much information. I would like to get in contact with someone who has information on her. My name is Lena Illig and my email is lena.illig@gmail.com

   My telephone number is 907-947-5509

   Reply
   1. 

      Rhonda Sue Irvine Dickey

      July 13, 2018

      Irene Ryan was my paternal grandmother’s first child. I do not know what you are looking for to accomplish your biography. I read the Wikipedia post for her and found that her birth father’ name was incorrect. Esther Neimenen… was her mother. Her father was misrepresented as Leonard Laukki Irvine. Irvine was the surname of my grandmother’s third husband with whom she had two children – my father, Arthur Irvine and his brother, Pat Irvine. Irene Ryan’s maiden name of Irvine was because my grandmother’s third husband adopted her.
      Her birth father, Leonard Laukki was from Russia and took his family to Russia to fight for the Czar in the Bolshevik Revolution. They had another child while in Russia. My grandmother’s husband arranged for her and their two children to leave Russia to travel through Europe and return to the United States. Their infant child died during the journey, so Irene was their only surviving child. Her father, Leonard Laukki was captured and executed by the Bolsheviks. Irene’s mother ended up in Colorado where she married again and had another daughter, Sonia. After that marriage broke up, the family ended up in Oklahoma with my grandmother’s third husband. They had two children, my father Arthur Irvine and his younger brother, Pat Irvine. Their father adopted Irene, which Is why her maiden name is reported as Irvine. He birth father was the Russian Leonard Laukki. The details of how and why my grandmother and her children made their way to Colorado, then Oklahoma is not known because she rarely shared information about her past. The information we know comes from recollections of Aunt Irene and Aunt Sonia.

      Reply
      1. 

         James Urvine

         January 1, 2019

         Hello Rhonda

         Reply
   2. 

      Pat Clasby

      March 24, 2021

      I am Irene’s younger daughter> would love to talk with you.
      623 399-3257 my phone number i Pat

      Reply
2. 

   Lena Illig

   November 6, 2016

   Hello! I am writing a biography on Irene Ryan for the Alaska Women’s Hall of Fame. Her biography was lost and I have been put in charge to find it. I am trying to locate information on her, but unfortunately, have not been able to find much information. I would like to get in contact with someone who has information on her. My name is Lena Illig and my email is lena.illig@gmail.com

   My telephone number is 907-947-5509

   Reply
   1. 

      James Irvine

      January 1, 2019

      Did you find the info on my aunt Irene that you needed? My #907-232-7520

      Reply