MORE than 400 people packed St John the Baptist Church in Purley on Monday to say goodbye to Gerry Ryan, who has been described as one of Croydon Council's most committed members.
Councillor Ryan died last month on his 57th birthday after battling cancer for six years.
Family and friends were joined at the funeral by the Mayor of Croydon, Councillor Manju Shahul-Hameed, fellow councillors from both the ruling Labour council group and the Conservative opposition and Croydon MPs, Steve Reed and Gavin Barwell.
There was also a large contingent of colleagues from the Communications Workers' Union (CWU) including the union's general secretary, Billy Hayes.
Cllr Ryan, who lived with his family in Purley, was a telecoms communications engineer by profession and had been a union negotiator and official for a number of years, serving on the CWU's national executive committee.
Colin O'Callaghan from the CWU told the congregation that the union was setting up an award in Cllr Ryan's name which will be presented annually to the person considered to be the union's best recruiter and negotiator.
Praising Cllr Ryan's work with the CWU, Mr O'Callaghan said: "Gerry Ryan spent all of his adult life fighting for working people.
"His optimism was unfailing and he had an irrepressible spirit, a spirit he took to his fight against his illness for six years."
Cllr Ryan was first elected to the council in 1998 as a Labour member for Whitehorse Manor ward and after reorganisation of wards was elected to serve Selhurst.
He was appointed the cabinet member for highways, transport and public services and during his time in the post oversaw the introduction of the borough's recycling service and the street lighting renewal programme.
The Mayor said at the funeral that Cllr Ryan was a genuine man who was always willing to give help and support to others.
She said: "He served his constituents with passion and care."
Close friend Charles King, who worked with Cllr Ryan in the Croydon South Labour Party before he was elected to the council, said: "Whatever he did, whether it was his work with the council and the community or supporting Crystal Palace Football Club, he always gave 110 per cent. If it wasn't that, it was more."
Mr King said he had looked up tributes on social media to Cllr Ryan and saw repeatedly words like "dedicated", "full of enthusiasm", "a really decent bloke" and "always a good friend".
Mr King added: "It didn't matter what you asked him to do, he would do it. He was still working right up to the end of his life."
The funeral service was followed by a committal for family, including his wife Jackie and sons Lee and Dan, and close friends at Croydon crematorium and a wake at Crystal Palace Football Club.
Cllr Ryan was a long time supporter of the club and served on the board of the Crystal Palace Supporters' Trust.
Collections are being held for the Afro Caribbean Leukaemia Trust, a charity with which Cllr Ryan was closely involved, in his memory.
People wanting to make donations should visit www.justgiving.com/gerryryan
