Chad Ryan Christian passed away on March 25, 2024. He was 37. He loved people and made a lasting impact on all who knew him.
Ryan was born on January 26,1987, in Huntsville, AL. He was second born in a family of five siblings. Throughout the years Ryan was often pivotal to many special memories, including guarding little sisters who wanted to “camp outside” but didn’t want to be alone, spending the day following points on a topographic map and learning orienteering with his older brother, and traveling the world with his wife, mother, sisters, and younger brother.
He was home educated from kindergarten until attending college. Ryan studied piano from the age of seven through high school. He was an accomplished pianist playing at many family, school, and church events.
Ryan met his future wife Rachel through a mutual tutor when they were 14 and 15 years old. After several years of friendship, they ended up dating in 2010 and got married a few months later in 2010. They’ve been inseparable ever since.
Ryan attended the University of Alabama Tuscaloosa with a full business scholarship. He quickly realized aspirations to serve his country and was awarded a full ROTC scholarship as well. After college graduation, Ryan was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the United States Army.
He is a recipient of the Bronze Star, a Combat Action Badge, five Army Commendation Medals, two Army Achievement Medals, a Meritorious Unit Commendation, the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Afghanistan Campaign Medal with two campaign stars, the Humanitarian Service Medal, along with numerous other badges. Ryan was selected for the Army’s Funded Legal Education Program (FLEP) and was accepted into Vanderbilt Law School. After graduation, he served in the JAG Corps as a prosecutor and an advisor to commanders on disciplinary and regulatory compliance matters.
After discharging from the Army, Ryan joined Bradley Law Firm as an adviser in the areas of corporate and securities law, government contracts, intellectual property, and technology issues.
Ryan was an avid and skilled outdoorsman. He enjoyed and highly excelled at fishing and hunting. Most recently, he began competing in the sport of darts and, as with most of Ryan’s accomplishments, became proficient. Over the past year he had been participating and consistently winning in local tournaments and at non-local, semi-professional competitions.
His memory will be cherished and his presence deeply missed by those that knew him. His mother and father could not be more proud of him or blessed to have been his parents.
He leaves behind his wife Rachel, his parents Robert and Marsha Christian (Huntsville, AL), brother Alan Christian (Kristin) (Huntsville, AL), brother Tanner Christian (Claire) (Huntsville, AL), sister Amanda Evans (John) (Huntsville, AL), sister Whitney Huynh (Huy) (Huntsville, AL), nephews Matthew, Malachi and Henry, nieces Allie, Eleanor, Emily, Diana and Vivienne, his grandmother Judith Christian Moon (Huntsville, AL), as well as many beloved aunts, uncles and cousins.
Ryan is preceded by his maternal grandparents, Thomas and Elizabeth Allison (Huntsville, AL), his paternal grandfather, David Christian Jr. (Huntsville, AL).
To read more about Ryan’s life, click here.