MIDDLEBURY — Lawrence W. Ring of Middlebury, Vt., and Tucson, Ariz., peacefully passed away surrounded by family at his Middlebury home Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, at the age of 86.
Larry was born in Mount Vernon, N.Y., Sept. 20, 1940, to LeStrange DuBois Ring and Dorothea (Whalen) Ring. He grew up in Tenafly, N.J., and attended Blair Academy where he was a standout athlete — playing soccer, basketball, and baseball. Larry continued his education at Middlebury College, earning his B.A. in Political Science in 1963 and starring as a soccer goalkeeper and basketball guard for the varsity Middlebury Panther teams.
His professional career focused on benefits consulting, whether it was developing compensation, retirement and healthcare plans for university professors with TIAA-CREF or for Fortune 500 companies with Towers Perrin. He traveled around the world for work while based in New York, Minneapolis and Chicago, using his communication skills and humor to successfully lead his team and help clients.
Larry was most proud of being a loving and energetic husband, father and grandfather. He started dating his future wife, Susan (Bogert) Ring in high school before they married over 64 years ago in Middlebury, Vt., while both were students at the College. He was very active coaching youth sports teams for his children and later taking his grandchildren on vacations around the country and world. He also took great joy recently from decades-old friendships that evolved into weekly group video chats to discuss current events.
Larry had an outsized impact on people he met with his generous spirit, strong empathy, easy connection with others, relentless positivity, and a twinkle in his eye as he told a joke. He used these natural skills to raise money for numerous charities in both Arizona and Vermont and as a mentor and friend to many. He was also endlessly curious and traveled with Susan during his retirement to far-flung destinations including Cambodia, Cuba, Vietnam, and China in addition to extended stays in small European towns. He always looked on his travels as an opportunity to keep learning from other people and their different perspectives.
Larry is survived by his wife, Susan B. Ring of Middlebury, Vt.; son, Bradford L. Ring (Julie) of Manchester Center, Vt.; daughter, Julie R. Stewart (Timothy) of Glenview, Ill.; brother, Richard Ring (Linda) of Montecito, Calif.; grandchildren, Mackenzie Stewart (Melanie), Bailey Ring (Miles), Coleman Stewart, Bridget Ring (Ryan), and Ava Marshall; great-grandchild, Cora Stewart; and numerous nephews and nieces. A celebration of his life well-lived will be held at a later date in Middlebury, Vt. Memorial contributions can be made to a new program Larry just helped develop at Middlebury College this past year focused on teaching student leaders conflict resolution and consensus building skills. Checks in Larry’s memory can be mailed for the “Delahunt Bridgebuilding Fellowship” to Middlebury College Gift Administration, 152 Maple Street, Suite 101, Middlebury, VT 05753. Online donations at: https://www.middlebury.edu/alumni-and-families/giving. Choose “other” in the designation dropdown bar and then type in “Delahunt Bridgebuilding Fellowship.”◊
