Ryan Funeral Home

Erazo was charged with the murder of her 11-year-old daughter in Keansburg. THOMAS P. COSTELLOSections of the memorial to 11-year-old AbbieGail Smith along Hancock Street in Keansburg Sunday, Jul 23, 2017, are shown as people turn out a short distance away to pay respects to the girl and her family.(Photo: ~Thomas P. Costello,)KEANSBURG — Wiping away tears and talking in hushed tones on Sunday, a community gathered to mourn the tragic death of 11-year-old AbbieGail "Abbie" Smith.Hundreds of people — family and friends, police, local organizations and residents who never had the chance to meet the murdered fifth-grader — came to the Jacqueline M. Ryan Funeral Home to support Smith's family."It's hard for any child that's buried," said Cheryl Little of Keansburg, a paraprofessional in Keansburg schools. Abbiegail Smith was enrolled at the Joseph R. Bolger Middle School. Members of the Muhammad Mosque #85 cames to show their support at the Jacqueline M. Ryan funeral home on Carr Avenue during a wake for 11-year-old AbbieGail Smith in Keansburg Sunday, Jul 23, 2017. (Photo: ~Thomas P. Costello)Little said she did not know the girl, but attended the viewing to support her family.Smith's body was found wrapped in a blanket on a roof behind her apartment complex the morning after she was reported missing. An upstairs neighbor, 18-year-old Andreas Erazo, has been charged in connection with her slaying."We have an 11-year-old daughter and it hit home," said Lawrence Kenny, 49, of Middletown, who visited the funeral home with his wife Felicia.People arrive at the Jacqueline M. Ryan funeral home on Carr Avenue during a wake for 11-year-old AbbieGail Smith in Keansburg Sunday, Jul 23, 2017. (Photo: ~Thomas P. Costello)The couple said they have lived in the area about 20 years and can remember no tragedy to compare to Smith's murder."Never. Nothing of this magnitude," said 42-year-old Felicia Kenny.Smith loved to dance, model, dress up and make people laugh, according to her obituary. Kenroy Smith, her father, said in an interview last ...

Jonathan J. Ryan, 22, was charged with second-degree forgery and second-degree computer crimes in the incident. Ryan turned himself in to investigators at the Troop L barracks in Litchfield on Tuesday, state police said. He was released on a $5,000 bond and will appear in superior court in Litchfield on Monday, according to his arrest report.Christopher Ryan, the suspect's father, is an owner at the Gleeson-Ryan Funeral Home in Torrington, where the suspect allegedly worked. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Documents from the state Department of Health show that the younger Ryan voluntarily surrendered his embalmer's apprentice license in June after an investigation by the department revealed he lied about his credentials when applying for the license a year earlier.That investigation was initiated after a former professor of Ryan's at Lincoln College of New England discovered that the state had issued Ryan a license to practice, despite him not completing his courses in mortuary science at the school.A month after the Department of Health probe concluded and Ryan surrendered the license, state police opened their own investigation into his alleged forgery.Ryan allegedly took great lengths to obtain the permit, going as far as to create an email account impersonating the professor whose complaint initiated the probe and forging a transcript–including a false signature from the school's registrar–showing that he had successfully obtained a mortuary science degree.In reality, Ryan withdrew from the school in December 2013 after failing to attend a number of his classes, according to a report from the Department of Health.Despite this, Ryan applied for, and received, an appreciate permit in July 2015. In the permit, reviewed by the Courant, he claims to have completed his study at Lincoln College two months prior. He lists his father as the licensed mortician he planned on working under.The elder Ryan told state investigators he had no idea that his son forged the documents or was working with a license obt...

Thelma Louise Morris, 81, of Richmond, Va. joined the Lord on February 27, 2017. She was born on June 3, 1935, in Greene County, daughter of the late Andrew Roach and Carrie Shifflett Roach. Mrs. Morris was a member of First Bible Baptist of Stanardsville, Va. and Oakwood Memorial Baptist Church of Richmond, Va. Thelma had a passion for music at an early age. She enjoyed singing gospel hymns, bluegrass and country music. Above all, her love was in family. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother who will be truly missed. Thelma is survived by her children, Wally Morris (Janet), Richard Morris (Iva), Debbie Mask (James), and Tommy Morris; her grandchildren, Michael, Crystal, Stephanie, Kevin and Sherri; siblings, Virginia Snow, Lena Woodson (Jerry), Edith Conley (Elvin), and Charles Roach (Mona); and five great grandchildren. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Pierrie Morris; son, Wayne Morris; granddaughter, Courtney Morris; three sisters, and six brothers. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, March 7, 2017, from 6 until 8 p.m. at Ryan Funeral Home, 12819 Spotswood Trail, Ruckersville, VA 22968. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, March 8, 2017, at 11 a.m. at Ryan Funeral Home with Pastor Josh Shifflett officiating. Interment will follow at Holly Memorial Gardens. An online guestbook is available at www.ryanfuneral.com Ryan Funeral Home of Ruckersville, Va. is handling the arrangements.#ndn-video-player-3.ndn_embedded .ndn_floatContainer { margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 20px; }...