Dr. Stewart R. Ryan aka Dr. Indestructo

After 82 revolutions around the sun, Dr. Stewart R. Ryan, aka Dr. Indestructo, died peacefully the 7th of September 2024 in Norman, Oklahoma.

Born in 1942 to August Richard and Frances Agnes (Ruth) Ryan in Schenectady, New York, Stu moved to Shelbyville, Indiana in 8th grade where he met his future wife of 58 years, Rita Marie (Sandman) Ryan. Stewart and Rita were married on July 9th, 1966, in Shelbyville, Indiana.

In addition to Rita, Stewart is survived by his three daughters, Kathleen Marie Ryan of New York, New York; Beth “Colleen” Ryan Martin of Miami Beach, Florida and Ellen Mary Ryan-Vinciguerra and husband Marc of Sanibel Island, Florida; brother David John Ryan and wife Suzanne (Hochstetter) Ryan of Carmel, Indiana; brother-in-law, Larry Louis Sandman and wife, Donna Sandman, of Shelbyville, Indiana; his adored grandchildren Finn Ryan Martin and Avalon Vinciguerra; and many nieces and nephews. Stewart was preceded in death by his parents; and sister, Nancy V. Ryan Soller.

He graduated from Shelbyville High school in 1960. A true and loyal “Domer,” he earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Notre Dame in 1964 and a PhD in Physics at the University of Michigan in 1971.

Stewart began his academic teaching career in physics at Yale University and as a Postdoctoral Professor at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. It was, however, his 35 years of teaching at the University of Oklahoma (OU) which made him notorious in Norman and throughout the State of Oklahoma. He retired in 2012.

Lauded as one of the best educators at OU, Stu was an electric physics professor whose student-oriented style of teaching made his popular “Physics for Poets” class a continuous smash hit for over 15,000 students which amounted to almost 15% of all undergraduates at OU. His popularity was cemented by his alter-ego “Dr. Indestructo” who will be long remembered throughout the state of Oklahoma. Performing over 500 shows throughout his career, Stu risked life and limb to entertain while educating audiences as a clown-wig wearing, liquid nitrogen drinking, hydrogen balloon exploding, rocket-bike riding, bed-of-nails smashing daredevil. Stu’s love of physics, teaching and his students were always paramount in his life. The Dr. Indestructo show was created by Stu and his colleague Stanley Babb early on in Stu’s career. After Babb passed away of a brain tumor, Stu wore Babb’s cap and gown in every show in his memory.

Stu’s unconventional teaching methods earned him numerous accolades, winning almost every teaching award possible including the David Ross Boyd Professor Emeritus award, the 1989 Oklahoma Medal for Excellence in College and University Teaching as well as an appointment to the Board of Trustees for the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence, Regents’ Award for Professional and University Service, Regents’ Award for Superior Teaching, Student Government Association Outstanding Faculty Award, General Education Teaching Award, and the Good Teaching Award to name a few. 

Stu’s fellow professors and grad students were gratuitously awarded with many a practical joke. There was no shortage of good-natured shenanigans, especially under the guise of demonstrating how “Physics is Phun.” Stu had a vast selection of physics t-shirts – one in fact for every day of the semester. Favorites included the “pi” series; pumpkin “pi,” apple “pi” etc. Stu’s dedication was boundless, impacting both OU as an institution and his students. Whether he was serving on the Undergraduate Studies Committee, managing the departmental scholarship program, co-leading the Engineering Physics Steering Committee or leading the “Headlands” summer program for Native American high school students to promote careers in science; he was never too busy to help students or colleagues with tutoring, encouragement or merely a helping hand. Stu’s influence promoting science in the State of Oklahoma will be felt for generations to come.

When Stu was not sticking his hand in molten lead, laying on a bed of nails or cruising around on his rocket bike, he was lovingly torturing his children with his humor and embarrassing them with his physics alter-ego. There were hours of math tutoring, garage tinkering, and the occasional hibernating opossum delivered as a birthday wake up gift. Stu never said no to a friend in need and probably helped everyone he knew move houses multiple times with his strategic Tetris packing skills. When he wasn’t tinkering or helping others, Stu could be found delving deep into Irish genealogy while listening to classical music. He loved Ireland and everything “Celtic.” Stu loved children, especially his own grandchildren, spending hours upon hours cleaning up and refurbishing his old train set to pass along or building block cities for fairies. According to his wife, there was never a dull moment while living with Stu and she wouldn’t have it any other way. He was one of the good ones and Stewart’s legacy will continue to inspire all who knew him.

He was a dedicated member of Saint Thomas More Catholic Church in Norman, Oklahoma.

The family thanks the loving staff and residents at Medical Park West for their care and friendship.

Visitation will be held in Norman, OK at Bridgeview United Methodist Church, 4300 Indian Hills Road in Norman, Oklahoma on Thursday, September 12th, 2024 from 4pm to 8pm. Arrangements are under the direction of Tribute Memorial Care. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Saint Joseph Catholic Church, 125 E. Broadway St. in Shelbyville, Indiana soon after, details pending. Interment will follow at Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Shelbyville, IN.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Oklahoma Foundation for Excellence at ofe.org. Online condolences and stories may be shared with Stewart’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com