Clare G. Ryan

Eulalia "Clare" Gomperts Ryan passed away peacefully at home on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, at the remarkable age of 106. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 11:00 AM Thursday, September 19, 2026. The Rite of Committal will take place that afternoon at the Grahamville Cemetery in Ridgeland, SC. The family will receive friends between 5:00 and 7:00 PM Wednesday at the James A. McAlister Funeral Home, 1620 Savannah Highway, Charleston.

Clare was born November 20, 1919, in Charleston, SC, to Clarence Wilfred Gomperts and Genevieve Mew Gomperts. Though given the name Eulalia, she came to be known as Clare, a name that honored her beloved father, Clarence.

Clare grew up in downtown Charleston where her father worked as a railway mail clerk, traveling frequently up and down the East Coast, while her mother helped support the family by taking in boarders. These early years helped shape the strength, independence, and resilience that would remain with Clare throughout her long life.

Clare was one of four children. She was preceded in death by her siblings, John Rufus Gomperts (2005), Clarence Wilfred Gomperts Jr. (2003), and Genevieve G. Harley (2012), leaving behind many nieces and nephews.

On October 26, 1942, Clare married Louis Carl Ryan. Together they built a life and raised their family in Charleston. They shared nearly 50 years of marriage before Louis passed away on January 5, 1992.

She is survived by her children: Ellen (the late John), of Union, SC; Barbara Ann (Jim), of Fairfax, VA; Louis Ryan, Jr. (Pat), of Charleston, SC; Richard, of Jacksonville, FL; and Michael (Ginny), of Richmond, VA. Her daughter, Katherine Clare, preceded her in death on November 28, 2005.

Her family continued to grow through the generations, and Clare was blessed with 12 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren, all of whom will miss Grandmomma dearly.

A lifelong member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, Clare's faith was an important part of her life. She was also rarely seen without one of her signature hats, a familiar part of who she was that those who knew her will fondly remember. To many, she was simply known as "the lady with the hat."

Clare found pleasure in the simple things. She loved to read and could often be found working on a word search. She enjoyed being outdoors and working in the yard...even pulling weeds was something she genuinely enjoyed. She loved playing carroms and was a true shark at double solitaire, a game at which she was notoriously hard to beat.

In the final 12 years of her life, as she lived with dementia and required increasing care, Clare was lovingly cared for at home by her son Louis and his wife Pat. The family devoted themselves to keeping her surrounded by love, comfort, and family, allowing her to remain at home through the final chapter of her extraordinary life.

Clare will be remembered for her faith, her distinctive hats, her love of reading and games, and the simple pleasures she found in caring for her yard. Above all, she will be remembered as Grandmomma and for the place she held in the hearts of her family. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Blessed Sacrament Parish Life Center Fund.