Halloween
My brother Ryan loved dressing up in a costume. I can remember him as a kid coming outside to play with the neighborhood kids in all kinds of outfits like army man, cowboy, ninja, you name it. It was so commonplace that we don’t really have many photos of those everyday costumes. Luckily, we did take a few family photos around Halloween each year. Ryan always enjoyed those Halloween nights running around the neighborhood in costume with packs of friends. It didn’t hurt that he also had a serious sweet tooth. I can remember stopping at Mitchell’s country store and gas stations through the years with my dad, who would always let us get one thing. I’d choose a pack of baseball cards as my one thing and Ryan would choose a full-size candy bar. Every single time. Needless to say, Halloween was a big hit with Ryan.
We dug through some old photo albums to find a few of Ryan’s costumes through the years. Stay until the end to see two fun ones of him as an adult.
1987, Ryan as Lil’ Skipper
Halloween 1988, Ryan as the cute smiling kid in the middle. I’m on the far left in the dinosaur costume. (Hint: You may see that again)
Fall 1989, Ryan the Fireman
Halloween 1989, Ryan far left as the Clown. I’m far right as GI Joe.
Mom taking Ryan the Clown out on the town for a Halloween parade.
Fall 1989, this feels very Thanksgiving craft day costume if I had to guess.
While not technically the two of us in costume, it sure does feel like it.
G.I. Joe Ryan. As you can see, the fireplace was our photo opp spot in the old Hawkins Mill Road house.
Ryan on the right with the long blonde hair tossing a bean bag at my army birthday party in the early 1990s. Bonus: My dad on the right and my Uncle Gerry in the back with the camera around his neck.
Halloween 1990, Ryan the Tiger grooving to his own beat.
Ryan the Tiger cheesing for the camera.
The Dynamic Duo of Caveman and Tiger Boy
Sometimes, Mom got to pick the costume. Good thing you’re only headed to the mall in it so you won’t be seen by that many folks in the smocked outfit your mom made for you.
Halloween 1991, Ryan (far right) gets his turn as the ferocious dinosaur. I’m a pirate and Billy Joe is Peter Pan.
Ryan on Halloween night in the early 2000s with all his high school friends. I’m not sure why he’s not in costume this year, which sort of throws off the whole theme of this post, but I love the photo anyways because it shows that smile of his that we all loved. I also think he’s about to fill that target bag up with lots of candy.
Let’s go back to Christmas Eve, early 1990s, Ryan with our Grandpa (my dad’s dad) telling him what he wanted for Christmas. He probably told him toys or candy, but I think what Ryan really wanted was to be Santa.
Ryan in the oversized family Santa suit that had been passed down after our Grandpa passed. This was probably his favorite costume of all time. He would wear it for years and years around Christmastime. I have a vague memory of him even wearing it to school a few times the last day before Winter break.
Christmas Eve 2020, Ryan in the Santa suit laying out gifts for Claire and William.
Easter 2019 at North Shore Country Club, Ryan loved to dress up or do anything that would make his members and their families smile. One year, he dressed up as the Easter Bunny.
Ryan the Easter Bunny with Mama Sheridan at the North Shore Country Club in Topsail Beach.
October 2020, Ryan lost a bet and entertained his country club as a Bavarian beer maid one evening. Boy, doesn’t he look sad about losing that bet? :) I debated whether or not to post this, but I think it captures Ryan’s fun-loving nature, how he didn’t take himself too seriously, and he’d do anything for a smile or a laugh. I want to live more like that. I mean, not in the costume specifically, more just the fun and carefree vibes. You know what I mean. Hope you enjoyed seeing all these photos. If you’ve got any more Halloween or costume photos of Ryan, please share them with me. Happy Halloween!