Ryan Thomas Layne

Ryan is survived by his parents Drs. Thomas and Dawn Layne, of Greenville, SC, his younger brother and sister-in-law Evan and Elizabeth Layne of New York City, his younger sister and brother-in-law Vaughn and Cameron Babbitt also of Greenville, and his nieces and nephews: Layne Caroline, Clay William, Thomas Henry, and Daphne Rose.

On December 12, 1981, Ryan was born in Charleston, WV to his loving parents. He graduated from Ripley High School in Ripley, WV in 2000. Ryan was brilliant in mental math, winning county and state math competitions, and he also won nearly every spelling bee of his childhood.

His enthusiasm for the Florida Gators was evident. He loved attending Gator basketball and football games and proudly told everyone he met that he was the “number one” Florida Gator fan in the world. Ryan had a passion for nature. As early as age two, he collected butterflies with his family and before he entered kindergarten, he could name every species. His love of all animals meant that even the smallest insect in his home would be saved and let free outside!

Ryan adored his family. He showed endless love for his now heartbroken parents who worked tirelessly to make his life the best that it could be. The entire family admired how they continually strived to make Ryan’s journey comfortable, stimulating and enjoyable.

His brother and sister were his best friends and whom he strived to be like. He dreamed of being married, like them, with children of his own. He cherished his nieces and nephews, and he enjoyed teaching them to count and perform early math skills.

The family wishes to extend their sincere gratitude and appreciation to Ryan’s case manager, Scott Busch, of the South Carolina Autism Society, for providing unconditional support and love to Ryan, and to Angelita Brown, Kiki McGriff and Tim Pace for ensuring Ryan’s happiness and well-being.

The family will celebrate Ryan’s life on Monday, April 11, 2022 at Buncombe Street United Methodist Church in Greenville. Visitation will begin in the Orders Parlor at 11AM. Services will be officiated by Rev. Grover Putnam in the Sanctuary at 12PM, followed by interment and a butterfly release at Woodlawn Memorial Park.

Condolences may be shared with Mackey Funerals and Cremations at Century Drive (www.mackeycenturydrive.com).

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to South Carolina Autism Society (https://scautism.org) at 806 12th Street West, Columbia, SC 29169, or to The Meyer Center for Special Children (https://meyercenter.org) at 1131 Rutherford Road, Greenville, SC 29609.