Former Mayor Charles Ryan died at age 94 on Oct. 18 and truly an era in Springfield politics and history has ended.

He first served as mayor from 1962 to 1967 and was often criticized for being too young. He later recalled to me that when he successfully ran again for mayor from 2004 to 2008 that people said he was too old. He recounted that with a laugh.

He was the only person to serve the city as mayor in two different centuries.

During each of his administrations, Ryan faced substantial challenges. During his first administration, he fought against the closing of the Springfield Armory, understanding the financial impact it would make on the city and the region.

He managed to defeat former state Sen. Linda Melconian who had been seen as the front-runner, to start his second administration. Upon entering office, he fully realized the perilous financial state the city occupied.

Ryan was able to right the course of the city by working with the state-appointed Finance Control Board, an entity that allowed him as mayor a measure of control a receivership would not have afforded him.

It was a balancing act that Ryan successfully achieved. It was not easy. He had to juggle the needs of the city with political pressures from the Legislature and the Romney gubernatorial administration.

Although he did not achieve a third term, which would have been his final time in office, he accomplished much in setting the city back on track.

Ryan did so very much both in and out of office. He was part of the Springfield Central that moved to redesign and redevelop downtown. He was able to move the city’s libraries under public control and worked tirelessly to support them.

I covered his second administration and had the opportunity to interview him for Focus Springfield in 2017. He was as sharp as a tack and explained how he entered politics thanks in part to the activism of his father. As a young attorney, he was asked by Larry O’ Brien to serve as part of an effort to change the charter of the city to have what is now known as a “strong mayor” form of government in 1959.

O’Brien was a fascinating political guy. A Springfield native, he was an intimate of John F. Kennedy and served as former postmaster general, chair of the Democratic Party and commissioner of the National Basketball Association.

In 1960, O’Brien was occupied with Kennedy’s run for president and asked Ryan to lead the committee seeking the charter change. The campaign was successful and the change was made to the charter.

Ryan recalled to me how he, his brothers and his father all watched Kennedy’s inaugural address and how he was affected by Kennedy’s famous line of “Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country.”

Ryan said by some time in 1961 he decided to run for mayor and ran successfully again incumbent Mayor Thomas O’ Connor.

In 1962, despite there still being much industry in the city, Ryan had to face the trend of manufacturers moving to southern states, a situation that re-surfaced with the recent Smith & Wesson announcement.

The decision by the federal government to close the Springfield Armory was a huge blow to the city that Ryan fought against.

Noting how the Armory led the establishment of Springfield being a manufacturing and innovation center that drew people and companies here, he recalled, “Without the Armory I probably would never have been here.” Ryan recounted as his great-grandfather, who left Ireland in 1850 because of the potato famine, traveled to Springfield and was hired at the Armory in 1852 or 1853.

Ryan called the federal decision to close the Armory as “devastating.” Even in 2017, there was an edge of anger in his voice about the decision made by former Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara.

Ryan, while a loyal Democrat, was his own man. He was against casino gambling and led the effort to keep casinos out of Springfield in the mid-1990s. In fact, in 1995 he ran against Michael Albano for mayor. He lost the election to Albano, but people supported him on the ballot question about casinos.

Ryan came back though as mayor in 2004 and led the city back to stability. He lost to current Mayor Domenic Sarno who in part used the implementation of a trash fee in the city as part of his campaign to unseat Ryan.

Sarno said in a statement, “Very sorry to hear about the passing of former Mayor Charlie Ryan. My sympathy, thoughts, prayers and encouragement go out to his family and dear friends. He was a man of family, faith, and city. I had the pleasure and honor to really get to know him as we worked together during some very trying and challenging times in our city’s history – where we became friends. He was a gentleman of unquestioned integrity who never lost faith in our Springfield. He manifested a very shrewd mind with compassion. He had a long and illustrious career that trekked back to the early 1960’s and then made a comeback in the early 2000’s. One of the many highlights that I believe he would be most proud of, was his legacy and efforts to save, enhance and help thrive our library system. For that, I am and our city are ever grateful for his steadfast and dedicated efforts. On a humorous note, he did love when I used to say, he negotiated ‘one hell of a deal with Andrew Carnegie for our libraries’ – I would also respectfully and affectionately call him the ‘Godfather of our Library.’ He has completed a journey well lived of giving back to make for a better city of Springfield. Now he’s being welcomed by his beloved wife Joan in Heaven. May God rest his soul.”

As a journalist who has had the pleasure of speaking with people whose accomplishments have been notable and influential, few people locally have filled that description as well as Charlie Ryan. Steve Cary, the producer at Focus Springfield, and I wanted to do another interview with the former mayor as we found a half-hour was simply not enough. We didn’t schedule it and he and I deeply regret the opportunity to continue the conversation.

On a personal note: I’m friends with Mayor Ryan’s son Charles Ryan. Charles is the same age as I am and has his father’s first name – like I have my dad’s first name – but also like me is not a junior.

Whenever I saw Charles, I would ask him about his father. One day, he said something to me that had great impact.

“Hey do you know why the old man likes you so much?” he asked. I replied, “No,” The answer was short but profound: “Because you’re a Springfield guy.”

I went home and told my wife that although I long considered Springfield my home town – after a childhood in an Air Force family living all over the country – I technically am not a native.

I thought with Mayor Ryan’s affirmation, though, I had achieved something I had long desired. It was like being baptized again.

Thank you, sir.