George Ryan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George Ryan
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Official portrait, 1987
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| 39th Governor of Illinois | |
| In office January 11, 1999 – January 13, 2003 |
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| Lieutenant | Corinne Wood |
| Preceded by | Jim Edgar |
| Succeeded by | Rod Blagojevich |
| 36th Secretary of State of Illinois | |
| In office January 14, 1991 – January 11, 1999 |
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| Governor | Jim Edgar |
| Preceded by | Jim Edgar |
| Succeeded by | Jesse White |
| 42nd Lieutenant Governor of Illinois | |
| In office January 10, 1983 – January 14, 1991 |
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| Governor | Jim Thompson |
| Preceded by | Dave O'Neal (1981) |
| Succeeded by | Bob Kustra |
| 65th Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives | |
| In office January 14, 1981 – January 10, 1983 |
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| Preceded by | William A. Redmond |
| Succeeded by | Arthur A. Telcser |
| Minority Leader of the Illinois House of Representatives | |
| In office January 12, 1977 – January 14, 1981 |
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| Preceded by | James R. Washburn |
| Succeeded by | Mike Madigan |
| Member of the Illinois House of Representatives from the 43rd district |
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| In office January 10, 1973 – January 10, 1983 |
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| Preceded by | Multi-member district |
| Succeeded by | Judy Baar Topinka |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
George Homer Ryan
February 24, 1934 Maquoketa, Iowa, U.S. |
| Died | May 2, 2025 (aged 91) Kankakee, Illinois, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Lura Lowe
(m. 1956; died 2011) |
| Children | 6 |
| Education | Ferris State University (BS) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  United States Army |
| Service years | 1954–1956 |
George Homer Ryan (born February 24, 1934 – died May 2, 2025) was an American politician. He was a member of the Republican Party. He served as the 39th governor of Illinois from 1999 to 2003. Before becoming governor, he was the Secretary of State of Illinois from 1991 to 1999. He also served as lieutenant governor from 1983 to 1991.
Ryan became governor in 1998. He gained national attention in 2000 for stopping executions in Illinois. In 2003, he changed over 160 death sentences to life sentences. He decided not to run for re-election in 2002 due to legal challenges. He later faced legal issues related to his time in public office. He was released from legal supervision on July 3, 2013.
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Early Life and Family
George Homer Ryan was born in Maquoketa, Iowa. His parents were Jeannette (née Bowman) and Thomas Ryan, who was a pharmacist. George grew up in Kankakee County, Illinois.
After serving in the U.S. Army in Korea, he worked in his father's two drugstores. He studied at Ferris State College of Pharmacy, which is now Ferris State University. He helped grow his father's pharmacies into a successful family business. He sold the business in 1990.
George Ryan was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1954. He served for 13 months in Korea, working in a base pharmacy.
On June 10, 1956, Ryan married his high school sweetheart, Lura Lynn Lowe. She passed away on June 27, 2011. They had five daughters and one son.
Early Political Career
Ryan started his political journey on the Kankakee County Board. He served there from 1968 to 1973. His brother, Tom J. Ryan, was the Mayor of Kankakee for 20 years.
In 1972, George Ryan was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives. He served five terms there. In 1976, he became the House Minority Leader. As Minority Leader, he helped Republicans win a majority in the House in 1980. He was then elected Speaker in January 1981.
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In July 1981, the lieutenant governor, Dave O'Neal, resigned. Governor James R. Thompson chose Ryan to be his running mate for the 1982 election. The Thompson/Ryan team won the election. They were re-elected in 1986.
In 1990, Ryan was elected Secretary of State of Illinois. During his first term, then-State Treasurer Pat Quinn criticized Ryan. This led to a political rivalry between them.
Governor of Illinois
On August 30, 1997, Governor Jim Edgar announced he would retire. Three days later, Ryan announced he would run for governor. He won the Republican nomination easily. He then defeated his opponent, Glenn Poshard, in the 1998 election. Ryan's running mate was Corinne Wood. Ryan spent much more money on his campaign than Poshard.
One of Ryan's major projects as governor was "Illinois FIRST." This program aimed to repair and improve Illinois's roads and schools. "FIRST" stood for "Fund for Infrastructure, Roads, Schools, and Transit." The law was signed in May 1999. It provided $6.3 billion for school and transportation projects. With other funding, Illinois FIRST provided billions for schools, public transportation, and roads.
Ryan also worked to improve Illinois's technology. He created one of the first state-level Offices of Technology. Illinois's technology ranking in a national magazine went from 48th to 1st in just two years. He also provided record funding for education. In 1999, Ryan became the first U.S. Governor to meet with Cuban President Fidel Castro. This visit led to a $1 million donation of aid. In 2000, Ryan served as a chair of the Midwestern Governors Association.
Capital Punishment Decisions
As governor, Ryan brought new attention to the debate about capital punishment. On January 31, 2000, he stopped all executions in Illinois. This is called a moratorium.
Ryan received praise from groups against the death penalty. He received awards for his decision, including the Mario Cuomo Act of Courage Award. People from other countries, like Robert Badinter from France, also praised his actions.
Death
George Ryan passed away at his home in Kankakee on May 2, 2025. He was 91 years old. He had been receiving special care for several days.
Images for kids
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Ryan in 1989
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Ryan with Phil Crane and Richard M. Daley
