Lawrence D. Lorah

Lawrence Dean Lorah of Concord, MA died unexpectedly on October 8, 2008, following a stroke. He was 73. He was the husband of the late Maude (Hoult) Lorah. He leaves behind his son, Mark Lorah and his wife Sabrina of Northfield, VT and a daughter, Kathy Farrell and her husband Vince of Harvard, MA. He was also survived by his grandson, Leo Farrell, his brother Bill Lorah and his wife Barbara of Glenwood Springs, CO, his dear friend, Christina Paul of Bedford, MA, as well as many beloved nieces and nephews.

Larry was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. His parents, Ralph and Mary, provided him with an ethic of responsibility and hard work. He had an inquisitive intellect, an optimistic bearing, and a congenial sense of humor. He excelled in science and mathematics and was an enthusiast of all things aeronautical. After graduating valedictorian of his high school class, he attended MIT on a scholarship where he earned his B.S. in Engineering in 1957 and his M.S. in Aeronautical Engineering in 1959. After graduating, He worked at the MIT Supersonic Laboratory, where he did theoretical and experimental research on compressed fluid dynamics and heat transfer problems.

Larry's career as an engineering consultant spanned many high-tech industries, including printing, optics, telecommunications, aeronautics, office machinery, and scientific instrumentation. Larry was a founder of the Mithrus Corporation in the early 1960s. He went on to lead a product development group at Arthur D. Little, Inc, where he inspired and was driven by a highly creative band of colleagues. In 1975 he founded Lawrence D. Lorah Inc., a private consulting business where he worked both independently and collaboratively on technical, production, and marketing issues for technology.

Larry was an active, contributing citizen in the town of Concord. First among his many civic endeavors was as a founding member of Concord's Emerson Umbrella Center for the Arts, as well as the first Chairman of its Board of Directors. He remained a faithful supporter of the Umbrella over the years and recently rejoined the Board to work on the Building Committee. In addition to his work for Emerson Umbrella, he served as the Concord representative on the Committee for the Minuteman Regional Vocational High School in Lexington, and he served on the Concord Long Range Planning Committee.

Larry married Maude Hoult in 1961 at a small ceremony in her home located in Wichita, Kansas. They were happily married for 46 years until her death from cancer in 2007. Throughout their years they enjoyed traveling throughout the world and were rich in friends, ideas, and good conversation. In recent years Larry and Maude jointly launched Handfast, a partnership which brought to market Maude's fine art jewelry.

It is with deep sadness that we say goodbye to this man of integrity and warmth. All who knew Larry felt his gentle, honest, caring soul. He had so many interests and could speak on any topic. He was well read and well spoken, an Eagle Scout, an engineer, a polymath, a photographer, and an appreciator of the arts and of nature. He loved and was loved by his family and friends. He will be missed.

A memorial service in Larry's honor will be held on Thursday, October 23, 2008, at 3:00 p.m. in the Auditorium at the Emerson Umbrella Center for the Arts, 40 Stow St., Concord, MA. A reception will follow.

Gifts in Larry's name may be made to Emerson Umbrella Capital Fund, 40 Stow St., Concord, MA 01742.