Memories Shared of Late Longtime Public Official
Best known for his four terms on the Geauga County Board of Elections, his time as chairman of the Geauga County Republican Party, as well as his love of travel and the law, the late Ed Ryder left behind many fond memories among friends, family and colleagues.
Best known for his four terms on the Geauga County Board of Elections, his time as chairman of the Geauga County Republican Party, as well as his love of travel and the law, the late Ed Ryder left behind many fond memories among friends, family and colleagues.
Ed, 75, passed away April 7 after a seven-year battle with cancer.
His wife of 52 years, Diane Ryder, recalled in a recent interview how dedicated Ed was to his roles in the community, especially his position on the board of elections.
“He wanted to depoliticize the board of elections,” she said.
He knew the positions on the board were considered “political plums” usually given to party cronies, which caused a good deal of infighting and maneuvering, Diane said.
“He wanted it to be non-political so they could get the job done and work together,” she said. Democrats Joe Weiss, Greg Studen and Republican Dorothy Stange worked with him to get the county’s house in order, Diane said.
“They did a very good job,” she said.
Dennis Pavella, current chairman of the board of elections, praised Ed for his stabilizing efforts, saying the change “made a much more peaceful and harmonious atmosphere.”
Ed became one of 20 trustees for the Ohio Association of Election Officials, noted Aaron Ockerman, OAEO executive director.
“He was in a position to influence policies that impacted not just the voters of Geauga County, but every voter around the state,” Ockerman wrote in an email. “He brought a conservative and sensible approach to his governance of the association.”
Ed’s expertise and understanding of finances helped put the association on solid financial footing, the director said.
“Many of the advances that serve to make Ohio’s elections a model for other states were developed with Ed’s assistance and insights,” he said.
Over the last decade, the county elections board saw a lot of changes, such as the new county office building on Ravenwood Drive and advanced cybersecurity upgrades, Pavella said.
During Ed’s time on the board, he chaired the Geauga GOP and worked as a defense litigator, primarily in civil trials, all over the country, until retiring in 2016.
Early Days
Diane and Ed first met at Cleveland State University in 1969 and married in 1971.
“Ed immediately ran for Euclid City Council,” she recalled, adding he lost by 151 votes.
He was appointed to replace State Rep. George Voinovich when Voinovich became Cuyahoga County auditor, Diane said, adding they were in their early 20s during those campaigns, driving to and from Columbus and rubbing shoulders with VIPs.
“We were newlyweds and having a really good time,” she reminisced.
When he was defeated for state representative in 1972, Ed chose a different life path.
“He went back to law school. It was probably the better move, anyway,” Diane said.
The couple decided to move from Euclid to Geauga County in 1979 after a visit to the Applebutter Festival at Century Village Museum in Burton.
“We took one look at the pastoral scene and said, ‘This is where we want to raise our children,’” Diane said.
The move wasn’t the end of their political involvement, however.
They helped get Jim Todd elected as Geauga County sheriff in 1980 and watched as he tackled corruption in the department and cleaned up gambling in the county, Diane said.
In 1984, Ed started a law firm with Tom Mazanec and Todd Raskin, renting office space next to a funeral home in Solon.
“His office was so small, he couldn’t fit around his desk,” Diane recalled. “The secretary made more than the partners did that first year.”
At one point, the firm had 100 employees and four offices in two states.
“Ed was all over Ohio — he knew every judge in the state. He absolutely loved it,” Diane said.
While living in Newbury Township, they raised two daughters, Megan and Kate. Diane served on the Newbury Schools Board of Education and eventually reported for the Geauga County Maple Leaf.
Finding the balance between their potentially conflicting careers was a practiced routine.
“We were very careful. It would have been wrong to do it any other way. Ethics were very, very important to both of us,” Diane said.
As grandchildren came along, the couple began to split their time between a home in Boiling Springs, S.C., and Geauga County. Ed finished his last term on the board of elections as a commuter, despite the onset of cancer.
Fond Memories
Former partner Tom Mazanec was a close personal friend of Ed’s for 40 years.
They would drive and fly around the state meeting with clients and growing the firm, Tom recalled.
Ed was meticulous, organized and even-paced.
“Ed had a long fuse. He rarely lost his temper,” Tom said. “If something didn’t go right with a client, I could get more upset. Ed would always bring me back to Earth, reminding me we had wonderful wives, great kids, good jobs … (to) be grateful we have what we have. He’d say, ‘You can’t let people throw you off your game.’”
Tom related tailgate parties at Cleveland Browns’ games, including a memorable impromptu wrestling match Tom lost, and many other events they shared
“We had a great time together. We had a lot of fun, had a lot of laughs. Good to have someone in your life you can share things with,” he said. “I miss him. He was a close confidante.”
Tom and Todd visited Ed and Diane in South Carolina a few weeks before Ed’s death.
“We stayed up late in the night talking about stuff and drinking (Bushmills Irish whiskey). It was the most worthwhile trip I’ve spent in some time. It was really special,” Tom recalled.
Ockerman summed up his feelings for Ed in a few sentences.
“Ed was that rarest of individuals who was simultaneously direct and yet understanding and compassionate,” he said. “You always knew where Ed stood on matters, but you knew that, even if he disagreed with you, he valued your viewpoints. He took his personal and professional responsibilities seriously, but never took himself too seriously.
“The result was a man who was intensely engaged yet witty, hardworking yet funny, self-assured yet curious-minded,” he added. “He was a true friend, husband, colleague and so much more to so many people.”
A memorial Mass for Ed Ryder was held April 12 in St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Spartanburg, S.C. A second memorial Mass will be held at 11 a.m. June 29 at St. Helen Catholic Church in Newbury Township. An Irish Celebration of Life will be held at DeJohns Funeral Home in Chester Township. His obituary is on the website for DeJohns Funeral Home https://www.dejohnfuneral.com/.
