Donor Family Visits ILEB

Donor family members Geri and Patti
Donor Family Visits ILEB
Every Life Has a Story

Family Services Coordinator, Deb Schuett, welcomed special guests to the eye bank—Geri Ryan and her daughter, Patti, from the Dubuque area. Geri is the wife of Paul F. Ryan who died in 2002 at Finley Hospital in Dubuque. Paul donated his corneas to the Iowa Lions Eye Bank for transplant to 2 grateful recipients, one from Illinois and the other from Iowa. Following his death, Geri created a beautiful quilt square for the eye bank’s Donor Family Quilt of Memories to honor her husband. Paul was a devoted husband and father of 7 children. He also dedicated his life to serving others through his volunteerism on the Key West Volunteer Fire Department for 46 years, serving as Fire Chief for 15 of those years. Geri and Patti drove to the eye bank to view the quilt that holds Paul’s handmade tribute, along with the other memory quilts that include unique squares created by the loved ones of eye donors through the years. Thank you for visiting!