Ryan Lafferty

Ryan Lafferty, beloved son, brother, and friend, passed away April 13 at age 23. Ryan was every good thing in this world —unfailingly kind, deeply humble, and eternally generous with his time. He had an extraordinary mind but an even bigger heart. Ryan was a student at Dartmouth College, finishing his degree in Government and Math. He was the president of the Dartmouth Parliamentary Debate team and actively involved in the international debate community, including previously coaching Team Mexico. When his debate travels took him to Vietnam, Panama, Bulgaria, Mexico, Serbia, the Czech Republic, Canada, or during his time studying in London with his Dartmouth cohort, he was always quick to report back on the coffee scene in each country. Outside of Vietnam, the news was usually not good. No matter how brief or long the tenure of these trips, he returned with fascinating insights. Why are Panama’s uber or taxi services so expensive compared to the cost of living there? Ryan would notice an issue and figure it out. Whether it was complex geopolitical topics or Marshawn Lynch not being handed the ball leading to Ryan’s beloved Seahawks losing the Superbowl, he was ready with a deep dive of facts on any topic imaginable. If you knew him, you felt lucky. The number of people who didn’t know him personally but still followed and cheered him from afar is breathtaking. He was an actual treasure. You didn’t need to be close to him to have that light reflected back at you. His mind worked quickly, perhaps only outpaced by his walking speed, which was hard to keep up with. He had an insatiable appetite for learning and figuring out ways to share that knowledge. In the debate community he is well known for freely sharing all his debate prep research and materials. He thought it was essential to keep it free and give it to anyone who might be able to use it. He exceeded the highest level of accolades with complete humility, carrying pride in his accomplishments without ego. Despite knowing so much about the world, he never spoke in definitives and was always happy to admit when he didn’t know something. His sense of humor was charmingly off-beat. Upon his first visit to Dartmouth he remarked “you know the food will be good here because it Darts into your Mouth.” His jokes were a constant source of both delight and head-shaking chuckles. Ryan was the person people turned to. He always had a unique perspective guided by his immense knowledge and his innate ability to listen and frame the issue. He was happy to stay at a restaurant with friends well past closing discussing China and Taiwan or the situation in Iran. He could bond with friends over shared critique of The Economist’s reporting on China. He took such great care of everyone around him. He would figuratively and literally carry a friend on his back. Ryan was the person who drove all night to pick up his teammates, to drop off donuts to brighten someone’s day, to write long hand-written letters for his friends, to remember all the small things – your coffee order, favorite smoothie, or the types of jokes you enjoyed. He once read an entire book on the philosophy of logic to guide a friend through a paper. Ryan was surrounded by family and friends who adored him. His absolute devotion was always felt in return. He leaves his parents, Ed and Shannon, his brother, Connor, his sister, Kate, his sweet puppy, Eliza, and an adoring extended family as well as more friends and admirers than any person could collect in any lifetime, including Aryanna, Helen, Les, Liz, Ann, Senay, Angela, Tejas and Julia among countless others who were ready at a moments notice to be with Ryan. One of Ryan’s greatest joys was having a decadent meal with friends and family, especially the Cruller French Toast at Lou’s in Hanover. In his memory, please share a meal with family or friends and say yes if they offer whipped cream on top. A Memorial Service will be held in the future.

Ryan Lafferty

April 13, 2026