Thelma "T.A." Ryan

LEXINGTON—Graveside service for Dr. Thelma “T.A.” Ryan, 96, of Lexington will be held at 12 noon, Saturday, January 10, 2015 in Bush River Memorial Gardens, 5400 Bush River Road, Columbia, SC 29212. Dr. Thelma Antoinette Ryan passed away on Monday, January 5, 2015.Born on May 1, 1918 in Miles City, Montana, she was the daughter of the late Benjamin and Mary McHale Ryan. Dr. Ryan's extensive qualifications include professional honors and listings and a dozen professional honorary directories, member in ninecorrectional and psychological associations, more than thirty awards in the field of research, sociology, psychology and corrections including a joint award from the US and Canada corrections for meritorious contribution to correctional systems, and awards from the American Psychological Association for contribution and distinction in corrections, US Bureau of Prison's Award in recognition of pioneering efforts in correctional education, South Carolina Correctional Association Distinguished Service Award and recognition of outstanding professional achievement in the criminal justice system in service to humanity, American Correctional Association Award for Outstanding Research in Corrections. Dr. Ryan served on over sixty correctional, psychological and research professional assignments, activities, research and development projects. Dr. Ryan published more than one hundred articles and over eighty reports related to corrections, education and vocation, psychology, counseling, and other areas. Dr. Ryan's areas of expertise were corrections, female offenders, correctional education, management, organizational psychology, evaluation and research. Dr. Ryan served as a member of the Education Research and Development Center at the University of Hawaii and retired from the University of South Carolina with twenty years of service as a Distinguished Professor of Criminal Justice Emeritus. Dr. Ryan had received degrees from California State (BS) and (MS) and Stanford (Ph.D.) and advanced studies from the University of Geneva and University of Oslo. Dr. Ryan was also owner and President of Ryan Associates, a research and consulting company. Surviving is one brother, Ben Ryan (Agnes) of Columbia Falls, Montana. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Humane Society, HSPCA, 121 Human Lane, Columbia, SC 29209.