Friends and family gather to remember Lura Lynn Ryan

Neighbors and long-time friends of the Ryan family gathered inside a Kankakee funeral home Friday to remember former Illinois first lady Lura Lynn Ryan as a beloved, gracious and caring member of their community.

They also said the “scary part of politics” kept Mrs. Ryan’s husband and high school sweetheart, former Gov. George Ryan, from joining them.

“She never believed that he did anything harmful,” neighbor Deb Baron said.

Mrs. Ryan, 76, died Monday after suffering from lung cancer and pulmonary fibrosis. Her husband was by her side, allowed to temporarily leave the Terre Haute, Ind., prison where he’s serving a 6-1/2 year sentence for a corruption conviction.

The Ryan family held private services Wednesday, but Friday’s visitation gave friends and neighbors a chance to pay their respects. Bruce Schreffler, co-owner of the funeral home where the visitation took place, said about 400 people attended, including state Rep. Lisa Dugan, D-Bradley.

They gathered with the Ryans in a parlor where Mrs. Ryan could be seen smiling in photographs from her youth, her wedding day and her husband’s campaigns.

Baron sat near that collection of photographs, and she described Mrs. Ryan as a gracious woman who was friendly to everyone. She said Mrs. Ryan managed to humanize through conversation the wives of other high-profile politicians she knew, like Barbara Bush and Maggie Daley.

But she never let her status as Ryan’s wife affect who she was.

“It was never something that set her apart from anybody else,” Baron said.

The Rev. Jess Gathing of Zion Gate Missionary Baptist Church in Kankakee said Mrs. Ryan had obvious class. Gathing’s mother worked for the Ryans, as did her mother and aunts.

“They helped out people who needed help,” he said of the Ryan family.

That’s why Gathing said it’s scary federal prosecutors were able to send George Ryan to prison, separating him from his dying wife.

“If the federal government wants to get you, they can,” Gathing said.

Gathing compared George Ryan to his freshly convicted successor, former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who also faces a long prison sentence and separation from his wife and two daughters.

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne List Hidden Hills Mansion « Homes of the Rich

Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne have listed their Hidden Hills, CA mansion for $12,999,000 . It is located at 5535 Dixon Trail Road on a 2.25 acre private knoll within the gated community. It was built in 2001 and boasts 11,000 square feet of living space with 6 bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, dramatic foyer with with floating curved staircase and floor to ceiling windows, guest apartment with kitchenette, paneled study with fireplace, formal dining and living rooms, gourmet kitchen, breakfast nook, family room with beamed vaulted ceilings, gym, swimming pool with spa, BBQ area, commode and outdoor shower and more.

(photos courtesy of Realtor.com)

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I like some of Martyn Lawrence-Bullard’s work, but not this. The outside is OK, although it feels choppy (especially the back). The interior is way too frumpy. It feels overdone, like Martyn didn’t know when to stop. It’s just trying too hard.

I know people pay a premium to live in Hidden Hills, but I hate it. If I wanted to live in a horsey area, I would choose Rancho Santa Fe over this area in heartbeat.

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