On Saturday, August 5, 2006, we lost Larry Wade to a tragic drowning accident while hiking in the Mammoth Mountain region of California.
Larry was a devoted husband to Lesley and loving father to Troy, Hannah, and Dylan. Our thoughts and prayers are with them as they cope with his loss.
Larry touched us all with his enthusiasm and optimism. Whether on holidays with the family, on the rugby pitch, at the first tee, or in a business meeting, you could count on Larry for a quick smile, a sincere laugh, and an upbeat outlook.
We invite all of Larry's family and friends from around the world to celebrate his life and his memory by sharing their stories and photos through this tribute site.
We have also established a memorial fund to help Lesley in the raising of their three young children with an emphasis on their education. Donations in US dollars or Euro can mailed or wired to the following locations:
For contributions by check in US dollars:
Make checks payable to: Lesley Wade
Memo: Larry Wade Children’s Memorial Fund
Mail to: JPMorgan Chase Bank
Attn: Pat Danielson
2122 Merrick Avenue
Merrick, NY 11566
For contributions by check in Euro:
Make checks payable to: Lionbridge International
Memo: Larry Wade Children’s Memorial Fund
Mail to: Lionbridge International
Attn: Michele Smith
3 West Pier Business Campus
Dun Laoghaire
Dublin, Ireland
For contributions via wire transfer in Euro or US dollars:
Pay to: Allied Irish Bank
Swift: AIBKIE2D
IBAN: IE37AIBK93208682020737
Beneficiary: Lionbridge International
At the funeral held August 15th in Dublin, Larry's brother Tom euologized him with the following tribute, published here with his consent for those who were unable to attend personally but were with the family in spirit:
On behalf of all of Larry’s family, I would like to thank everyone who has supported us in this tragic time. We have found over the past week – to our comfort but not to our surprise – that Larry had so many wonderful friends. They have been such a great help to us, both emotionally and practically.
Larry came into this world early, and he has left it far too early. If a life is measured in years, then 42 is indeed far too short. If a life is measured in deeds and achievements, then Larry’s life was far from unfulfilled. Larry had a very successful career in the highly competitive world of multinational companies, but more importantly, he never lost sight of what was really important. To Larry, what mattered most to him was his wonderful wife, and his beautiful children – a sense of values that he took from the example of the loving home of our own parents, Richard and Joan.
Larry touched the lives of so many people, and it is evident from the enormous number of tributes and genuine outpouring of grief from those who knew him, both spoken to us, and placed on the web site his colleagues set up for him, that he was loved by so many people. I say that this was not to our surprise, because we who were close to him always knew that Larry was the kind of man who inspired love and friendship.
We remember Larry as the golden haired boy who was always in the center of everything. Long before he would ever hear the phrase “Carpe Diem”, Larry would seize every day. He was always doing things, always active. Never was he content to sit back and let life pass him by – something he always kept as he grew older.
I remember when my mother would get him cleaned and in his
good clothes when we were going anywhere, and the standing order was “don’t let Larry out of the house”, for he only had to step out of doors, and within minutes my mother’s hard work would be undone.
We remember Larry as the youth on the playing field. Larry played rugby for our school De la Salle in Churchtown where we grew up, as well as later for the club. Like everything he took up, whether it was rugby, golf, squash or snooker, he excelled at it. On the playing field Larry was a gifted out half, and despite his being so good at this and other sports, he never allowed the competitive element to take over, and always kept his sense of fun and the joy of an activity shared with friends.
We remember Larry as an older teenager with my grandmother. My grandmother – God rest her – lived with us into her nineties, and towards the end of her life would need constant attention from all of us. Sometimes she would get confused and distressed, forgetting where she was and who we were. Of all of her grandchildren Larry was the one most able to calm and reassure her in that gentle way of his, and within minutes she would be smiling again.
We remember Larry later as our friend, and how we always looked forward to his visits home. Larry coming home was always an occasion for all seven siblings to get together, and I know all of us were delighted to see him again. I remember fondly how he would take some of us with him for a game of golf – an activity we dubbed the “Larry Masterclass”, such was the disparity in our abilities, ranging from Larry’s trying to break par, to my futile attempts to reach each hole in single figures. It was never really about golf of course, and I will always treasure those times we spent with him.
We remember Larry as a son. His love for our parents did not diminish with time or distance. He phoned them regularly, always signing off with his characteristic “love you”. He would always ensure that when his business trips took him near Dublin, he would spend time with them. Through his own fatherhood, his bond with our father deepened with time. And I know that our incredible mother will always cherish the letters he sent her, reminding her of all the things she had done for him through the years. The last e-mail I have from Larry was a message to all of us, reminding us of our parents 51st wedding anniversary.
We remember Larry as a husband. Anyone who spent any time with Larry and Lesley could not fail to see that they were completely in love with each other. I remember talking to Larry only recently about his wedding – ten years ago next month – and I reminded him of the speech I was unexpectedly called upon to make then. Like most wedding speeches, it consisted mainly of poking fun at the hapless groom, but I had finished by saying of all the decisions Larry had made up till then, the one he made that day to marry Lesley was his best. “It was”, he said, “and still is”.
We remember Larry as a father. My brother John and I had gone over for Troy’s first communion earlier this year. When he was leaving us back to the airport, he took us via the local playing field, as he wanted us to see Troy play baseball for the Rangers in the Little League. Troy, Hannah and Dylan, you do not need me to tell you how much your wonderful father loved you, but always remember he was also so very proud of you, of all the things you did, and of all the achievements you have yet to make.
We will miss Larry in a million ways. We will miss seeing the way his face would light up with genuine delight at seeing you again after an absence. We will miss his quick wit, his sense of fun, and his simple infectious joy of life. We will miss his conversations, whether they be of the deep issues of life, an intricate technical problem, shared memories or simply the exchange of trivial pursuit style banter that he was so fond of. All our thoughts, prayers and love are with Lesley, Troy, Hannah and Dylan, as they try to come to terms with the tragic loss of such a wonderful husband and father.
Farewell, my brother and my friend. Until we meet again …