Lawrence C. Ryan, 65, of Riverdale, Bronx, NY died at his residence there Monday April 6. He was born in Boston, MA on March 24, 1955 and raised in nearby Chestnut Hill. A 1973 graduate of Newton South High School he entered Harvard College graduating in the class of 1977 with an A.B. in Classics. At Harvard Mr. Ryan was awarded the Bowdoin prize for Latin. He received advanced degrees from the University of Maryland and Fordham University. Mr. Ryan was a longtime teacher of Latin in Norwell, MA; Maret School, Washington, DC; Packer Collegiate Institute, Brooklyn, NY; and Pelham (NY) Memorial High School. Since his retirement, the Lawrence C. Ryan Prize has been awarded to a student in the senior class who most reflects the qualities Mr. Ryan exemplified in his 29 years at Pelham Memorial High School. He was an avid runner completing several marathons including the Boston Marathon. Mr. Ryan enjoyed traveling and spending holidays with his large family. The son of the late John W. Ryan and the late Gertrude M. Ryan, Lawrence is survived by his sisters: Mary Gay Tobin (John), Kathleen Murphy (John), Sheila Grandfield, Moira Dougherty, and Paula Ryan; his brothers: John Ryan III (Kathleen), Peter Ryan (Frances), Stephen Ryan (Kathleen), and Joseph Ryan (Kathleen); and 19 nieces and nephews, 14 great-nieces and great-nephews, and many cousins. Larry had a sharp intellect, an infectious sense of humor, and a kind heart. He will be missed. To post a condolence online please visit the Fred H. McGrath and Son Funeral Home website, www.mcgrathandson.com Due to the current pandemic a memorial service will be planned for a later date. For those who wish, contributions may be made to the Lawrence C. Ryan Prize at Pelham Memorial High School. Contributors to the fund can make a check out to: Pelham Public Schools on MEMO write: Lawrence Ryan Scholarship Award, Mail check to: Business Department, Pelham Public Schools 575 Colonial Avenue, Pelham, NY 10803
A Memorial Service will be held at a later time
In Lieu of Flowers: Contributions may be made to the Lawrence C. Ryan Prize at Pelham Memorial High School. Check made tp: Pelham Public Schools on MEMO write: Lawrence Ryan Scholarship Award, Mail check to: Business Department, Pelham Public Schools, 575 Colonial Avenue, Pelham, NY 10803
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Cathy Rodriguez says
April 9, 2020 at 12:16 pmSo very sorry for your loss. Sending prayers.
Pia Fiorelli says
April 9, 2020 at 1:40 pmMy deepest condolences. I worked with Larry for many years, he was also a guest at my wedding. He had a great sense of humor and was a very knowledgeable person and teacher. He made me feel welcome when I was a new teacher in the language department 17 years ago, he was always kind and gave me great advice! He will be greatly missed!
Kimberly Lundy says
April 11, 2020 at 1:45 pmMy condolences to you and your family. I knew Larry as a colleague at Pelham High School. He was a quiet, reserved, lovely soul. He made me laugh and smile when we would cross paths during the school day in the library. Sending prayers of peace.
Katie Pettus says
April 9, 2020 at 12:18 pmI’m so sorry to hear of Larry’s passing . Not only was he a fellow colleague, but also my daughter’s Latin teacher for all 4 of her high school years. He was always a gentleman and a kind soul. Heaven gained an angel!
That picture is how I will always remember him in PMHS hallways!
Katie Pettus
James Marcotullio says
April 9, 2020 at 12:22 pmI am so sorry for your loss. As a long time Pelham Memorial HS colleague of Larry, I know how much he will be missed. He was kind, generous and a source of inspiration for his students and fellow teachers.
Andrew M Scott says
April 9, 2020 at 12:37 pmA scholar and a gentleman. Resquiescat in pace
Cami O'Brien says
April 9, 2020 at 1:01 pmI’m so sorry to hear of Larry’s passing. Larry was one of my colleagues at Pelham Memorial High School and he was always quick with a warm smile and a kind hello in the hallways there. He touched many people’s lives–both students’ and colleagues’ alike. He will be missed.
Anna Brown says
April 9, 2020 at 1:03 pmTo my dear friend, I will miss you so much. I still miss your wit, gentle manner and kindness at work even since your retirement. Now I will miss our get togethers at The Rambling House. I am so honored to have called you a friend. You were so humble and yet so loved by all who knew you. RIP my dear friend. I am so sad that you have left us. To Larry’s family, I offer you my deepest sympathy and wish you comfort. Larry was a true gentleman.
Terence A. Huvane says
April 9, 2020 at 1:19 pmPlease know Larry is in my prayers and in those of my family. He was a true Pelham gentleman and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.
DAVE MOSKOWITZ says
April 9, 2020 at 2:00 pmLARRY WILL BE SADLY MISSED. HE WAS SUCH A GENTLEMAN AND A SCHOLAR
Veronica Stern says
April 9, 2020 at 2:46 pmMr. Ryan, you were one of my favorite teachers. You cared so much about your students and made us all love Latin. Still one of my favorite classes to this day. You will be missed. Thank you for everything.
Maureen Mc Mahon says
April 9, 2020 at 9:53 pmThe McMahon family sends their sympathy to Mr Ryan’s family, My son and daughter had Mr. Ryan as their Latin teacher. They always talked about the jeopardy game in his class and his love of the Latin language. May he Rest In Peace.
Alana Pettus says
April 9, 2020 at 3:03 pmI’m so saddened and sorry to hear of Mr. Ryan’s passing. I graduated from Pelham Memorial High School in 2016, as well as the year when he retired. He was my Latin teacher for all 4 years! He was such an intelligent, kind, and humorous teacher. He was one of my favorites and every year he loved when I gave him chocolate around Christmas time for the holidays. One of the smartest people I’ve ever met. He will be missed!
Kaycee Cherashore says
April 9, 2020 at 3:48 pmI am so saddened to hear of Larry’s passing. He was a brilliant scholar and a wonderful colleague. I will cherish our talks about classics and art history. Larry and his entire family are in my thougths and prayers. Rest in peace.
Michele Dunne says
April 13, 2020 at 3:18 pmRyan Family, I am very sorry for your loss. Comforting hugs and healing thoughts from Mt to your family.
Larry, I will miss seeing you at the Fusco’s and the Neering’s. I recall the first time I met you was at my interview for Pelham UFSD You were always a great person to share a beverage and some conversation with. And back in the day you let me run with the posse. Thank you for being a loyal friend.
Laura Noland Bushey (and family) says
April 9, 2020 at 5:51 pmSo sorry to all of the Ryan’s for your loss.
Jeffrey Marcks says
April 9, 2020 at 6:07 pmWe are saddened to hear the news of Larry Ryan’s passing. Our three children were students of Larry Ryan. They admired Mr. Ryan’s intellect, and his love of Latin was infectious. They would also tell us about his great sense of humor. Mr. Ryan, you and your family are in our thoughts and prayers. Your legacy lives on in the students you taught. Solveigh & Jeff Marcks
Courtney Kiessling says
April 9, 2020 at 6:12 pmI was so saddened to hear of the passing of Mr. Ryan. Though he was my colleague at PMHS for more years than he was my teacher, my first and most vivid memories of Larry will be as his student in Latin class for 5 years, and so I struggled always to call him Larry. He was Mr. Ryan, a calm and extremely intelligent man with a clever sense of humor. He will truly be missed.
Gina Ricci says
April 9, 2020 at 6:12 pmLarry was a valued colleague and friend. He was a true gentleman and a role model for his students and colleagues alike. He will be missed.
Rest In Peace, my friend.
JOSEPH L LONGOBARDI says
April 9, 2020 at 9:51 pmDuring the 40 years I worked in the Pelham Schools as both a teacher and school principal i had the opportunity to develop relationships with many wonderful people. Larry was one of those people. His kind heart, exceptional wit and gentle manner will truly be missed by all those who had the opportunity to be part of his life. Thank you Larry for your commitment to the students of the Pelham Schools. Rest in peace.
Kevin O'Malley says
April 9, 2020 at 10:47 pmTo the Ryan Family, I spent many an evening hanging out in Newton with Larry during the late 70’s. He was a brilliant but humble friend. I will always remember how funny he was too. He was cerebral but in a way that made one enjoy his company so much, he could discuss so many topics. Well done good and faithful servant !
Eileen Rogers says
April 10, 2020 at 12:17 amHope the hole in your hearts will be filled with great memories of him. He often spoke lovingly about his family. Larry was a great friend, gentle, humble, and kind. His students thought he was a walking encyclopedia , a very cool guy and they loved him!
He will always have a place in my heart and prayers.
Tim Ready says
April 10, 2020 at 9:46 amLarry was a kind and gentle man. Many fond memories of him at the big house. Last saw him
Fourth of July two years ago and he always looked the same . He will be remembered fondly whenever I,m on the wall. Peace to the Ryan family. Tim and Linda
James Frankel says
April 10, 2020 at 11:04 amMr. Ryan was a good man and great educator. I’m thankful to have had him as teacher.
He was a quiet genius, a passionate coach, and always devoted to the success of his many students.
God bless
Peggy McAloon says
April 10, 2020 at 12:20 pmOur son, Pierre, was his student from 1988 – 1992. He was greatly influenced by him and enjoyed a special rapport. A wonderful teacher and human being. Pierre is no longer with us or he would have written this himself. A lovely memory from Pierre’s life – Mr. Ryan was important.
Todd Stone says
April 10, 2020 at 12:36 pmI want to write that Mr. Ryan was a very sweet and gentle man. I was a student of his, along with my brother, Adam, and I just found out about this on Facebook, where a number of his other former students are remembering him fondly. May you rest in peace, Mr. Ryan.
Jessica (Rouke) Crawford says
April 10, 2020 at 1:20 pmI was a student of Mr. Ryan’s, and I am so incredibly sorry to hear of his passing. He was a brilliant, funny, and kind man (and had a special talent for being able to flick sheets of paper across the room!) I have always remembered him fondly because he was a wonderful teacher. Condolences to all.
Karen (Kelly) Mercado says
April 10, 2020 at 2:45 pmMr. Lawrence was such a sweet man. He was a quiet but gentle soul. He always was kind and never had a mean word to say to anyone. May you rest in peace Mr. Lawrence.
Amanda Gordon Fletcher says
April 10, 2020 at 4:18 pmI had Mr. Ryan for 8th Grade Latin in what I think was his first year teaching in Pelham? (1987-1988). He was such a nice man. I loved Latin due to his introduction, and continued to take it through high school and then minored in Classics in college. Thank you, Mr. Ryan and condolences to all of his family and friends. ❤️
Sandy Irwin says
April 10, 2020 at 7:45 pmHe was a treasure for Pelham Students.
They admired his Smart and intellect and always teaching more and more.
He had so much knowledge to give and made LATIN so alive and special.
Everytime He passed trough Library where I worked the students picked up their heads from computer, book, notebook and conversation with friend to say “Hi!.” He had a “twinkle” with his eye which they liked. They knew He cared. He always shared some great information about Latin words and phrases. He always commented on my displays and bulletin boards. He understood the theme.
He always listed to my book recommendations. He was well-dressed and very neat and clean.
A true gift and treasure for Pelham for a long time.
Matt Schwarzfeld says
April 10, 2020 at 9:01 pm20+ years later, Me. Ryan is one of the teachers who crosses my mind regularly. His humor and wit, his surprising approachability, his decency and kindness — these are the things that left an impression on me. I consider myself so lucky to have had you, Mr. Ryan. You’ve been missed and you will be missed.
Peter Dursi says
April 11, 2020 at 11:20 amMy siblings and I all attended PMHS, studied Latin, and played hockey. Larry was an excellent teacher, and coach. The news of this touches us all. Much love his family.
Peter Giarrizzo says
April 11, 2020 at 5:36 pmThis is a crushing loss and I’m so sorry to hear this. Larry’s sense of humor and incredible wit will be traits that I will always remember. While the world might be a little less bright without Larry, he will always be a shining star to the thousands of students he touched.
Susan Snyder says
April 12, 2020 at 12:06 amI was a colleague of Larry’s in the language department for most of his time in Pelham. We shared many a laugh together and he was our Google before there was such a thing. His students adored him because he was always kind and he respected them. His legacy will live on in all those he taught. He will be truly missed. Sending my sincerest condolences to his family.
Eric Ikauniks says
April 13, 2020 at 4:04 pmMr. Ryan was a great friend to our family ever since he arrived at PMHS. He actually used to come over to our house for dinner when he first arrived, I believe, because he recognized my brother’s last name from when he used to watch our dad play hockey at Harvard when he was a kid, and my mom was always welcoming to fellow Bostonians! I can’t imagine many Pelham families saw more of him than we did. Mr. Ryan was instrumental in getting my brother into Phillips Academy as a classics scholar and I remember well how much effort he put into that recommendation and then how proud he was upon the acceptance. My sister and I both went on to take Latin too, played hockey with him, and I can honestly say that he was by far our favorite teacher. I took Latin junior year, mostly because I thought it would be an easy A, and it was, but he forced me to get more out of the class than I ever thought possible, at the same time allowing me, Heather S. and Jeff K. sit in the back and misbehave – well, Jeff K. did most of that, but 99% of the time Mr. Ryan couldn’t repress his laughter even as he tried to maintain control of the classroom. We kept in touch even as I went off to college and my sister to boarding school, but now I wish I had been better about it. I remember him so fondly. I haven’t cried in a long time but I am now… Maybe the only thing I can remember from high school is “Gallia est omnis divisa in partes tres, quarum unam incolunt Belgae…” He will be missed.
Alan Kuras says
April 13, 2020 at 5:13 pmLarry was a trusted friend and guide during my time at Pelham. We ran every day for ten years after classes and I learned more and had more fun in those afternoon runs than I could have imagined. He was smart, kind, gentle and caring. I will miss his wit and twinkling smile. Condolences to the Ryan family.
Christina Prignano says
April 13, 2020 at 7:16 pmSuch a tremendous loss!! Larry was one of a kind, an absolute gem. When I first started teaching in Pelham, I was part-time and still taking Latin courses. Larry would check my homework and he always had time to answer any questions I had. He taught me everything I needed to know to prepare the eighth graders for the NYS Proficiency Exam. Not only was he a Latin scholar, he was a worldly scholar as well as a Pelham historian. I will miss his sense of humor and his kind, gentle manner. To his family: May your good memories bring you strength and comfort. Requiescat in pace, Magister Optime!
MARCIA BEAN says
April 14, 2020 at 8:19 amI had the pleasure of eating lunch in a group that included Larry many days during my first few years at Pelham. He was reserved but had a wonderful sense of humor! And he was so good-natured and kind. He made me feel welcome and enjoyed sharing that he had friends in Madison, Wisconsin which was my home town. We were lucky to know him. My condolences to his family.
Jon Totillo says
April 14, 2020 at 2:21 pmI send my deepest condolences to the Ryan family on this tragic loss. It is not a coincidence that so many have shared similar memories of Larry—he truly was one of the sweetest and most thoughtful men I have had the honor of knowing. May you Rest In Peace.
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