Matthew J. Ryan

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Matthew J. Ryan

In office
1981-1983,1995 – 2003
Preceded by H. Jack Seltzer (1st)
H. William DeWeese (2nd)
Succeeded by K. Leroy Irvis (1st)
John M. Perzel (2nd)

Born 1932
Died March 29, 2003 [1]
Philadelphia, PA
Political party Republican

Matthew J. Ryan (1932-2003) served as Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Ryan was elected to his first house term in 1962. He served as majority leader for the 1979-80 session, and was first elected speaker in 1981. From 1983 to 1994, he was minority leader. He was elected speaker for his second two-year term in 1995 and for each successive two-year term until his death from cancer in 2003. [2]

[edit] Legacy

In 1999, the Capitol Annex of the Pennsylvania State Capitol building in Harrisburg was renamed the Speaker Matthew J. Ryan Legislative Office Building [3]. The Matthew J. Ryan Veterinary Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania is named in his honor [4].