Ronald C. LaFrance

Born in 1941 to Marjorie Murphy and Cyrille LaFrance, Ron spent his childhood growing up in Southbridge, Massacahuttes with his younger siblings Diane, Cherie, and David. Since childhood, Ron was wise, strong, capable, deeply kind and full of light.

An altar boy, Eagle Scout, and lifeguard, Ron was always a natural role model with high integrity, which paved the way for his success in academics. He attended both the College of Holy Cross and Worcester State University as an undergraduate, and went on to earn his Doctorate degree at the University of Massachusetts. While a graduate student, Ron adopted his two adolescent siblings, providing not just care but wisdom that deeply shaped their lives.

While studying at the University of Massachusetts, Ron founded and led Room to Move, a nationally recognized counseling center that served marginalized populations. He also fell in love with a spirited woman with a big laugh, Pamela Jane Goodrich, who he would marry and share the life-long experience of parenting three daughters with.

Becoming a father lit a special fire inside Ron that would never extinguish. He was a devoted father to his three daughters as the family relocated to the beautiful green rolling hills of Oneonta. A life-long nature enthusiast, he instilled in his girls a deep love of nature through walks in the woods, camping at Gilbert Lake and views from the branches of the town’s many epic climbing trees.

Ron also raised his daughters with the visceral memory of how wonderfully hot the concrete of Wilber Park pool felt after a long day of swimming. A life-long swimmer, Ron would often surprise everyone with his skill at diving. Passing as an unassuming father in midlife, he would execute elegant, technical dives with near perfection, leaving many mouths agape.

As his daughters grew, Ron went from tossing them up in the air to attending all their sports and school events - celebrating all the big moments, and being present for all the small, cherished moments. Somehow, he did it all with an even countenance while furthering his education at the Washington School of Psychiatry in Washington, D.C, developing a flourishing marriage and family therapy practice, and becoming tenured at SUNY Oneonta.

Interested in and guided by Buddhist teachings throughout his life, Ron incorporated Buddhist philosophy into his teaching and counseling, leaving lasting impressions on students and community members alike. While an adjunct professor at Hartwick College, Ron organized the building of a sand mandala on campus led by Buddhist monks. Creating intricate art as a community, and then washing it down the river was an unforgettable lesson on the beauty of impermanence.

Living in Oneonta since 1986, Ron enjoyed a 33-year career as a beloved professor of counseling and psychology. He loved building community with neighbors, former students, colleagues and friends. In his signature look of a blue shirt and khaki pants, a bright smile and a twinkle in his eye, Ron brought light wherever he went. In fact, his dog-walking route included houses where neighbors stashed dog treats in mailboxes, hoping he would pause and chat while he passed.

After raising his three girls, Ron became the proud grandfather to six grandsons. They each blossomed in his deep kindness and adored his sharp sense of humor and playful spirit. Grandpa Ron was excellent to wrestle with.

Ron was scholarly, wise, jolly, generous and peaceful. Even during his final years, while battling dementia that took his language, he miraculously retained his ability to deliver a good joke and to share a small gift of humanity with everyone he encountered.

Ron was a deeply good human being, loved beyond words. He continues to make the world a brighter place everyday, sending ripples through the countless lives he touched.

He is survived by his children; Michelle LaFrance Monberg and her husband Christian Monberg with their boys Knox and Hawken, Danielle DeLaney and her husband Christopher DeLaney with their children Lucas, Noah and Elijah, and Aimee LaFrance and her son Braxton.

Celebration of life service to be held in Spring, 2025