Ryan Patrick Howarth

Ryan had a contagious laugh, big heart, fun-loving spirit, and passion for Philadelphia sports. He was a gifted HVAC technician who loved his craft and to serve others. Above all, Ryan had an unwavering faith in God and deeply loved his family.

My favorite memory of my brother was when he and I shared a slow dance at my wedding in September of 2019. Ryan was living in a recovery house at the time but was able to attend since he had several months clean. My dad surprised me during our father-daughter dance and signaled to my brother to join us on the dance floor. While Ryan and I danced, we cried and hugged one another because we both knew how special it was that he was there. In that moment, I knew my brother was happy and healthy.

I miss my brother’s beautiful face, his big bear hugs after a few weeks apart, his mischievous laugh after convincing our mom to repeat unintelligible gibberish, and his smell of YSL cologne that made it on to every article of his clothing. Above all, I miss the little moments—laughing over a story from our childhood, watching TV on the couch, and grabbing a bite to eat.

Ryan would like to be remembered for how he lived his life. He was compassionate and kind—always worrying about the ones he loved more than himself. He never took more than he gave and was overly generous with his time and talents. Ryan was also a fighter. He was knocked down time and time again, but he always got back up. He refused to surrender to his disease and fought for his recovery until the very end.