"No llores por mí, mi alma está libre. Estoy en la brisa suave que roza tu cara, en el canto del ave al amanecer, en el aroma del café en la mañana. Viví amando y me fui en paz. Cuando pienses en mí, sonríe… porque yo sigo contigo, solo que desde el cielo."

Martha Lydia Ryan Casas was born on January 25th, 1962, to Pedro Casas and Maria G. Casas in Tepic, Nayarit. On April 11th, 2025, in Yuma, Arizona, Martha went home to be with the Lord. She was a devoted wife, mother, nana, sister, daughter, aunt and friend—a woman whose essence lit up every room she entered. If you knew Martha, you knew warmth. Her life was an offering of love, wrapped in every meal she cooked and every moment she gave to her family.

As a child, Martha was sweet, quiet, and shy, but carried a spark that would soon light up every heart she touched. She loved to go swimming in the river near her home and watch the cattle walk by to get that quick glimpse. Even then, she brought joy to those around her.

Her life was rooted in family. Sunday breakfast at Nana's were a sacred ritual. Her grandkids were the center of her universe—spoiled with love, stories, and warm food. Nana ensured that the preferred foods of each grandchild were always available, whether it consisted of snack items or components needed to prepare their favored meals. She poured her love into every single dish. Martha's cooking wasn't just nourishing, it was her way of embracing you. Every handmade tortilla, pot of beans, sopita, and seasoned dish told you that you mattered. Her garden was heaven on earth, full of life, birds, color, and peace. She often sat outside, sipping coffee and admiring her plants with a loved one lost in nature's quiet miracles.

Martha loved playing lotería with her sisters, mom, nieces, daughters, and even played it with her grandkids over pieces of their favorite candies—there was laughter until the room rang. She always won at Sequence and swore it was just luck. She had a gentle love for cats, birds, early mornings, and plants. She had the magic touch that made every plant come to life. Her heart beat in rhythm with the earth, and when she hugged you, you felt it, the kind that stays long after the arms let go.

She is survived by her husband Octavio Ryan; her children Kathy Ryan-DeMorst Martha Ryan-Castro, Janie Ryan, and Octavio Ryan Jr.; her grandchildren and great-grandchildren; her mother, Maria G. Casas; and many loving siblings, nieces, nephews, friends and more. She is preceded in death by her father, Pedro Casas.

Services for Martha will begin on Monday, April 21st, 2025. A private viewing for the family will be held from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m., followed by a wake and public rosary from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Desert Valley Mortuary, located at 138 S Avenue B in Somerton, Arizona. The Funeral Mass will take place on Tuesday, April 22nd, 2025, at 7:30 a.m. at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, located at 1815 S 8th Avenue, Yuma, AZ 85364. Burial will follow immediately at Sunset Vista Funeral Home, 11357 E 40th Street, Yuma, AZ 85367.

Our hearts are heavy with the unbearable weight of losing her, yet full of the love that she poured into us all. There will not be one day that we won't miss her laugh, her hugs, her voice saying, "see you in a month", her favorite way to promise she'd never be far. We are certain she is in heaven, playing lotería with her dad, cooking for the angels, and sending us signs—wind, rain, sunsets and whispers that she's still near.

The Ryan family extends our deepest gratitude to everyone honoring Martha's memory. Thank you for helping us celebrate the life of a woman who truly made this world feel like home.

Mom, See you in a month