Ryan Jay Cooley was born October 6, 1991 in Sioux Falls, SD. He attended Brandon Elementary School. After one year at Brandon Middle School he moved with his family to Sioux Falls, SD. He attended Axtell Park Junior High School. He would have been a sophomore at Roosevelt High School this fall.

Ryan was a devoted WWE wrestling fan. He was a talented video game player. He also enjoyed going to car shows with his Grandma and Grandpa DeBoer.

Grateful for having shared his life are his mother, Melissa Swenson and her friend, Steve Baysore, his sister, Morgan Cooley, his brother, Corey Swenson and his grandparents, Jayne and Jim DeBoer, all of Sioux Falls; his great-grandmother, Sylvia Cooley, Madison, SD; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Ryan was preceded in death by his great-grandparents, Clay and Esther Hakeman and Laurence Cooley.