DeathMay 22025

George Ryan

George Ryan, American politician, 39th Governor of Illinois (born 1934)

1st anniversary in 2026

Everything on May 2Original source

In context

When
Friday, May 2 20251 years ago
Category
DeathA notable person who died on this day.
Era
21st century · 2020s
Anniversary
1st in 2026
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed
Person
George Ryan

At a glanceAI-assisted

George Ryan served as the 39th Governor of Illinois from 1999 to 2003. He was a Republican who previously held the offices of Illinois Secretary of State and U.S. Representative.

Who they were

George Ryan, American politician, 39th Governor of Illinois (born 1934)

Early lifeAI-assisted

Ryan was born on February 24, 1934, in Maquon, Illinois. He earned a degree from Illinois Wesleyan University and served in the U.S. Army Reserve.

Path and careerAI-assisted

Ryan was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1972 and served until 1980. He then served as Secretary of State of Illinois from 1995 to 1999, overseeing vehicle registration and licensing.

As governor, Ryan commuted the sentences of 167 death row inmates in 2003, citing concerns about the state's capital punishment system. He was convicted of racketeering and fraud in 2006 related to his time as Secretary of State and served approximately five years in federal prison.

Why this date

George Ryan appears on our May 2 calendar for 2025 as a death entry.

May 2 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 2004Yelwa massacre
  2. 2008Cyclone Nargis
  3. 2008Chaitén (volcano)
  4. 2011Killing of Osama bin Laden
  5. 2011Osama bin Laden
  6. 2011Conservative Party of Canada
  7. 20112011 Germany E. coli O104:H4 outbreak
  8. 2012Pastel
  9. 20142014 Badakhshan mudslides
  10. 2014Russo-Ukrainian war
  11. 2025George Ryan

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Everything we record for 2025 →

Sources

Cite this page

“George Ryan”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/george-ryan-2025-may-2, accessed October 27, 2026.

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Questions about this entry

When did George Ryan happen?

May 2 2025 — 1 years ago, on a Friday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints. Panels marked AI-assisted were filled where the sources left a heading empty.

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