Royal Max Ryser

Royal M. Ryser died on November 6, 2025.  He was born on a farm near Agenda, KS, on Sept 26, 1934, to Frank and Martha (Thompson) Ryser, the youngest of one brother and 17 half siblings.  He attended a one room country school for three years, then moved to Effingham, KS to finish grade and high school in 1952. 

He joined the Navy in 1952, during the Korean War and served in the Seabees as an equipment operator in Cuba and Naples, Italy.  Royal graduated from Kansas State U in 1959 with a civil engineering degree.  Most of his career was with the US Forest Service in CA, AZ and CO and he was a Regisered Professional Engineer.  Besides engineering, Royal liked woodworking, hunting, and old cars.  He was a life long Christian and served in many capacities in several United Methodist Churches.  At one of his many addresses, he was President of the Campfire Girls Council, a position that gave him great satisfaction as a supporter of the girls in the program.

In 1943, age 8, he met Regina Happel; they graduated from high school together in 1952.  Royal enlisted in the US Navy They married in 1953 and made a life together, starting housekeeping in Naples.  After college, work took them several places, and they also produced a family of 3 daughters, Joy, Ann, and Karen.  These 3 became the center of their lives and their most significant accomplishment, giving Royal and Regina 5 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Royal had great pride in serving in the US Navy and working for the U S Forest Service.  His Navy service provided the gateway to a university engineering degree and the Forest Service work offered a way to protect and utilize the natural resources of the National Forests.  He served on the Angeles NF Pasadena, CA; Sequoia NF Porterville, CA; Lassen NF Susanville, CA; Cleveland NF San Diego, CA; Prescott NF, Prescott, AZ, and the Region 2 Headquarters, Lakewood, CO.

Royal was preceded in death by his wife Regina, granddaughter Katie Kolonics, his parents, his brother James and 17 half-brothers and -sisters.  He is survived by daughters Joy (Leroy) Medina, Ann (Frank) Kolonics, and Karen (Bill) Flynn; grandchildren Molly Ocampo(Jeff) and Sam Medina, Max Kolonics and Will Flynn; and great-grandson Luca Ocampo and great-granddaughter Mila Ocampo.

Services will be held at First United Methodist Church of Loveland, CO on Saturday December 6 at 2pm..  Cremains will be interred at the Church.  Contributions may be made to the First United Methodist Church or to the place of your choice.