Ryan Mcdonough

Ryan Dale McDonough passed from this life to his heavenly seat peacefully with his entire family at his side on May 10th, 2023. Ryan was born to Dale and Jodie McDonough on May 5, 1985 in Washington, Iowa. He spent his childhood in Iowa Falls, Lafayette, IN and eventually graduated from Estherville-Lincoln Central in 2004. He was athletic and academic stand-out in high school and earned 1st team All-State honors his senior year. He also excelled on the wrestling mat. Along with these accolades he liked to have a good time with his buddies doing just about anything outdoors.

He furthered his studies at Simpson College in Indianola, Iowa. While there he majored in mathematics education which he eventually received his master’s in. He was also a member of the Simpson Football team. Over his career there he started many games at quarterback through his junior season. His playing career was cut short following a serious car accident in the summer of 2007. Ryan spent weeks in the hospital recovering only to find he had not lost his passion for football that fall.  From there he started his coaching career. He helped the Simpson coaching staff for one season before leaving for Chadron State in Nebraska as a graduate assistant. After a couple seasons there he accepted the offensive coordinator job at Western Colorado University. He coached a multitude of RMAC all-conference athletes, along with All-Americans and one NCAA D2 player of the year. West Texas A&M was Ryan’s next coaching stop, again with a lot of success in a very short period of time.  During his coaching career, Ryan also ran a successful quarterback camp that impacted high school athletes all over the Midwest and western states.

During the final years of his coaching career Ryan and Susan welcomed Piper to the world. From this point on, Ryan’s life changed forever. That little girl became his sole purpose in life. She adored her daddy in every way a little girl can. You could see the pride he had in her just from the look on his face. It was that, which ultimately took him away from football to find more time in his life for what mattered most to him. In 2018 he moved his family back to Des Moines, Iowa to work with his brothers in the family concrete company. Like everything he did, he stepped right in, did the hardest jobs and he did them with a smile on his face. He earned the respect of everyone in the organization within days of being back. He also became a go-to leader immediately. He had a knack for connecting with guys and getting them to follow him into the trenches. He was a natural leader in all he did in his life whether on the field, at a job-sit or at home.

Ryan’s personal life was no different. He did it with excellence. He was a faithful husband that always put Susan first. While she was dealing with her own health issues, Ryan made sure things got handled and she got cared for even if it meant 18 hour days. They were married on July 14th, 2019 in Napa Valley, CA. As a father, Ryan was present, engaged and intentional with his kids Piper and Jackson. They always knew they were loved. They always knew Dad would be there. They always knew where he stood on things. He had a firm but caring way of parenting and leading people as a whole. His family was his greatest project. He loved showing them old, time-tested hobbies like archery, fishing, hunting, fixing things in the garage or just knowing how to relax on a Sunday. He also showed his family what hard work, discipline and commitment looked like and what it provided in life. He was a man who’s actions spoke louder than words. You see it in his children now. Piper is a ferocious athlete but also has the softest most lovable heart you will find in a 7 year old and Jackson never stops smiling and doing what 3 year-old boys do best and that’s getting into innocent trouble.

Ryan has always set the standard for doing the right thing even if that meant putting himself last. He always lived by the unwritten code of honoring your word and putting others first. He lived his life for others. For his wife and kids. For his parents. For his brothers. For the employee. For the stranger on the street. He always looked to serve first. He inspired many to do the same.

Ryan never defined himself as a coach, concrete guy, quarterback or any other external role. What mattered to him was that he was a father, a husband, a brother, a son and a friend. That's WHO he was to his core. He took immense pride in these titles. If there was ever a decision of work or family, family always came first. When he was asked to coach soccer and he knew nothing about it, he studied it until he did just to be there for his kids.  When he was asked to help fill in for someone at work in a role he had never done before, he always stepped up. He never did anything at 90%. He was all in, all the time.

Ryan has an old-soul. A soul that set him apart. Part that had always been there. Part that had been shaped by his accident in 2007. He knew he had a second shot at life. His soul enjoyed the simple things in life. He loved to sit and just think. He loved to split wood in 90 degree heat. He loved to sit around a fire and just talk about things and go deep with it. He loved to watch his kids play. He loved to fish even when he didn't catch a dang thing. He loved wood-working. He loved to practice and shoot his homemade recurve bow. He loved conversations with old buddies. He loved to have a few beers and relive the old days. He loved quiet weekends up at Clear Lake just fishing and hanging with the family. He loved to live off his land and provide from it like it was 100 years earlier in time. He loved the slow things. He loved the simple things. He loved his family. He still does.

Ryan’s faith grew even more through this battle he faced the last few months. He inspired others to do the same. He knew what it meant to follow Jesus and live a life that glorifies Him. He knew that his pain gave him perspective that can come from nothing else. Ryan’s relationship with Jesus was real to him not on Sundays but rather all week.

Ryan's legacy is found in his family. It's found in Piper's smile and determination. It's found in Jack's fire for life and his infectious smile. It’s found in both of these kids in their determination in anything they do. It's found in his wife Susan and her free spirit to enjoy life one day at a time. It's found in his mom and her desire to care relentlessly for others. It's found in his dad and his intentionality with life and never getting too worked up about things.  It's found in his brothers and their fiery pursuit of something better for their families and the people they influence. It's found in the 1000's of people still here that do what "Ron" aka Ryan would do and that's, "do the right thing, do it 100% and do it to serve others before yourself."

That's Ryan Dale McDonough.

Selfless. Relentless. Loving. Provider. Fighter. Overcomer. Dad.

He was and is a King and now he lives with the King of Kings.

I have fought the good fight. I have won the race. I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord will award me. 2 Timothy 4:7-8

We rejoice in our sufferings knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope and hope does not put us to shame because God’s love has been poured into our hearts.  Romans 5:3-5

Ryan is survived by his wife Susan and their 2 children Piper (7) and Jackson (3). He is also survived by his parents Dale and Jodie McDonough (West Des Moines), his brothers Mark (Cassie), their 3 kids Reagan, William and Cade and Brett (Andrea), their 3 kids Maddon, Gentry and Kamden. Dozens of aunts, uncles and cousins also survive Ryan that live throughout the country.

He is preceded in death by his Grandparents Pete and Inez McDonough (Schaller, IA) along with Elizabeth Gahan (Clarion, IA) along with numerous aunts and uncles.

Memorial service for Ryan will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, May 17, 2023, at Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines. Visitation will be held from 4:00 to 7:00 PM on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home & Crematory in Urbandale. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the family for donation to a charity of their choice.