In answering the call for pen pals to connect with others across the world, Resthaven Western Community Services client, Sylvia Ryan could never have known the impact it would have on the rest of her life.
Her letter, introducing herself and describing her hometown of Los Angeles, arrived at the home of Dennis Ryan, who was living at Willunga in South Australia. He wrote back, describing the daily routines that were happening on his parent’s mixed-use farm, and what he was doing in his job as a foreman at the council.
‘As far as I was concerned, Australia was “somewhere out there”,’ Sylvia says making a sweeping gesture with her arms. ‘I’d never heard of the vast, open space that Dennis talked about. I didn’t know very much about Australia, but I thought it sounded interesting.’
With the confidence and freedom of youth, in 1962 Sylvia and Dennis planned for her to come for a visit to this wide, open land. She bought a plane ticket and left her mother and sister in America for a month-long holiday in Australia.
Dennis, taking his long-service leave, drove to Sydney in his Holden to meet Sylvia at the airport.
‘We drove together back to Adelaide,’ Dennis says. ‘Taking in all the sights, including the 1962 Melbourne Cup race!’
‘People would say they couldn’t understand me because of my accent,’ Sylvia says. ‘We joke that it’s a different language – Australian and American!’
‘Dennis still says he can’t understand me because of my accent,’ Sylvia says with a knowing glance at her husband.
The pair arrived back in South Australia, and Willunga, and over the next few weeks they grew closer. Before the end of her trip, Sylvia and Dennis were engaged.
‘Then I had to go back home and tell my family I was going to be married,’ Sylvia says.
The wedding was to be held in Australia, and sadly, Sylvia’s family could not attend.
‘It was difficult, but I flew back into Australia just a couple days before the wedding,’ Sylvia says.
Sylvia and Dennis were married on 20 April1963 at St Joseph’s Church, Willunga. The reception was held at the RSL Hall across the road.
The pair bought Willunga House, located on the main street of Willunga right next door to the council building. Their first daughter, Teresa, was born in 1965 and their second daughter Catherine was born in 1969. On Catherine’s first birthday, the family moved to Port Broughton where Dennis had secured a new job, also at the local council.
‘It was a different style of living at Port Broughton,’ Sylvia says. ‘There were not very many people at all in the town, and we became close to many of them. It was very different to Los Angeles.’
Sylvia and Dennis had two more children while they were living at Port Broughton – Carmel who was born in 1970 and Thomas who was born in 1972. Sadly, Carmel died in 2013 after many years suffering with motor neuron disease (MND).
The family stayed at Port Broughton for five years, and during this time Dennis began working as a volunteer ambulance officer.
‘I enjoyed the work,’ Dennis says. ‘It felt like an important job for the community.’
He applied for and won a position as a paid ambulance officer at Waikerie in the Riverland, so the family moved there in 1976. At Waikerie, Dennis worked his way up into the role of superintendent.
‘It was a very vibrant, active country town at the time,’ Sylvia says. ‘When the children were all at school, I took on some work doing home care for the hospital. I enjoyed it very much. It was a good time for all of us.’
Around a decade later, Dennis put in for a transfer and the family moved to Elizabeth in 1986. Their next move came in 1988 when they headed to the Southeast and took up residence in Mount Gambier.
Teresa was studying at university, and Thomas was just finishing up high school, so they both stayed in Adelaide. Catherine and Carmel moved with Sylvia and Dennis, but later moved back to Adelaide, starting their own families. Dennis retired in 1995, and he and Sylvia took on volunteering roles, working for the local St Vincent de Paul’s shop. Sylvia worked in the shop, and Dennis drove the truck, collecting and delivering goods in the area, going as far as 50 kilometres away to Penola.
Dennis clearly remembers collecting a fridge one day that hadn’t been emptied, and the top-mounted freezer door opened up as he went through a roundabout. All of the frozen food bounced over the truck and onto the road.
‘It made an almighty mess,’ Dennis laughs, shaking his head. ‘And then we had to pick everything up, and we ended up partially blocking the road and everything. It was terrible!’
Sylvia and Dennis enjoyed their time at Mount Gambier, living in the city for 11 years. They moved back to Woodcroft when Carmel was diagnosed with MND so they could be closer to help care for her. They found a more suitable house at Torrensville in 2000, and Sylvia and Dennis have lived there ever since. With arthritis impacting Dennis’ health in recent years, they are assisted by Resthaven with help around their home.
Celebrating 90 years
To celebrate Resthaven’s 90th anniversary in 2025, we asked clients and residents who were also born in 1935 to share their thoughts and advice. Both Sylvia and Dennis were born in 1935 (though in very different locations!). Here are some of their responses to our questions:
What is the biggest lesson you have learned in life:
Dennis: Try to be kind and patient. Be tolerant. Respect other people’s beliefs and opinions.
Sylvia: Gratitude, love and thanksgiving to all.
What is your secret to health and longevity?
Dennis: Exercise. Walking, cycling – up until a few years ago.
Sylvia: Be kind to yourself and enjoy everything along the way.
What is the biggest change you have witnessed over the past 90 years?
Dennis: The change in technology.
Sylvia: the computer age and getting my head around it.
About Resthaven:
Established in 1935, Resthaven is a South Australian not-for-profit aged care community service associated with the Uniting Church in Australia.
Every day, Resthaven shares the lives and wisdom of older people and their carers, opening doors to the full range of aged care service options available.
Services are provided throughout metropolitan Adelaide, the Adelaide Hills, Murraylands, Riverland, Fleurieu Peninsula, lower Barossa region and the Limestone Coast of South Australia.
