Vera Lea Hammond Ryan, 84, of Tampa, FL, died on Tuesday, March 25, 2014 at John Knox Village Medical Center in Tampa. Born in Salisbury, she was the daughter of the late Walter Earl Hammond, Sr. and Nellie Lee Pennewell Hammond. She was a secretary for Piasecki Corp. at Patuxent River, where she met her late husband, James Vincent Ryan (died 1971) who was an experimental test pilot there. They were married in 1951 and moved to Port Jefferson, NY. After the birth of their two children, they moved to Smithtown, NY and she went back to work and became the secretary for Walter Kissinger, the brother of Henry (Tempo Industries) for many years. She continued to work and raise her children and also worked for the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre in NY City as a fundraising manager later in life. She moved back to Salisbury in 1995 and worked for Father Moyer as his secretary for the Episcopal Church in Berlin until 2005. She is survived by her children, Sheila Nell Ryan of Tampa, FL and James Vincent Ryan, Jr of San Antonio, TX; 2 grandchildren, Danielle Meehan Ryan Hornbeck of Branson, MO and Brayden James Ryan; and a great grandchild, Kennedy Elle Hornbeck. In addition to her parents and husband, she was also preceded in death by a brother, Walter Earl Hammond, Jr. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 29, 2014 at 10:00 am at the Holloway Funeral Home in Salisbury with a visitation one hour prior to the service. Interment will follow at Wicomico Memorial Park in Salisbury with Rev. Michael Moyer officiating. Arrangements are in the care of Holloway Funeral Home, PA, 501 Snow Hill Road, Salisbury, MD 21804. Please visit www.hollowayfh.com to express condolences to the family.
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