LAWRENCE LASSER

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Antioch College

LAWRENCE LASSER Obituary

Name: Memorial service for LAWRENCE LASSER
Start: 2025-10-29T11:00:00.000Z
Location: Temple Beth Elohim

LASSER--Lawrence J. Larry Lasser, 82 years old, of Sea Island, Georgia, Waldoboro, Maine, and formerly of Brookline, Mass died at his residence on October 26, 2025. He was born in New York, NY on November 1, 1942 and raised in Scarsdale. After Antioch College and Harvard Business School, he joined Putnam Investments, serving as Chief Executive Officer from 1985 to 2003. A truly larger-than-life personality and a man of many passions and interests, he loved art, cooking, the Maine coast and, most of all, his friends and family. Larry is survived by his beloved wife, Michelle, son Ethan and daughter-in-law Jessica, and his cherished grandchildren Levi, Hattie and Goldie. A memorial service will be held at Temple Beth Elohim, 10 Bethel Road, Wellesley, MA at 11am on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Winnebago Alumni Association (https://www.winnebagoal ums.org/) or the Wadoboro Children's Winter Program (P.O. Box J, Waldoboro, Maine 04572).

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by New York Times on Oct. 29, 2025.

Memories and Condolences
for LAWRENCE LASSER

13 Entries

Kristine Shadek

October 31, 2025

Dearest Michelle. Ned just told me of the news today and I am so sorry for your loss. Larry was so good to me when I was sick and I will never forget that he was truly a very kind man and my heart is with you. Love Kristine and Ned Shadek.

Michael Otten

October 31, 2025

Larry was a thoughtful gentleman, a great communicator and a person who knew how to encourage civil discourse, with the help of a great sense of humor. He is a great loss to our civilization in these times when civil discourse is so important.

Barbara Hansen

October 31, 2025

Michelle, I only met your husband once at Sarah's wedding, but he was fascinating, and quick and wicked smart. I would have loved to have sat with him for hours and have him show me his art collection and tell me every story behind collecting it. And I know how blessed you are to have Bonnie by your side, we all are.
Barbara Hansen

Karen Soskin

October 31, 2025

I remember Larry at many Williams crew regattas, supporting his son, Ethan, and the team. Larry helped to create these wonderful memories of crew parents standing around, trying to see the boat´s progress and offering great parent companionship. A part of my life I treasure. His memory is a blessing.

Lauri Locks Sydney

October 31, 2025

It is with heavy hearts and decades filled with extraordinary memories, that we honor our extraordinary, unique, and brilliant cousin Larry. We extend our long distance hugs and prayers to Michelle and the rest of Larry's beautiful family. His loss is profound, but he has left behind multiple lifetimes of love. Our deepest sympathy...Mark "Tiger" Locks, Lynn Locks Huberman, Lauri Locks Sydney.

Margaret Reeve

October 31, 2025

My first job was at the art gallery in Boston that Larry started with an HBS friend. What a learning experience that was! Lassergrams were not yet in circulation but every Saturday, he left a notbeook filled with comments for us to read on Mon morning when we opened the gallery, He was supportive, fair, generous, and became a great friend. We had recently planned to meet in NY but alas, it didn't happen. We did share one of his favorite aphorisms, "Pay attention!" after his accident. My head is carried higher and my heart warmer for having known him.

Mike and Rita

October 29, 2025

During six summers for six years we came from Corsica to Dutch Neck where we became acquainted with Larry and Michelle.
Haverner Point is a legacy to their creativity and perseverance and we count ourselves privileged to be able to take our daily walk with Mollie the Collie, not to mention the best apple orchard on Dutch Neck!
Thank you Larry and Bon Courage to Michelle the family.

Ken Daly

October 29, 2025

I am so sorry for your loss Michelle and your wonderful family. I know from my own experience, loosing my wife Claire in February, you will miss him every day and it will be hard emotionally without him. I give you my family´s love and wish you strength. So many of us know him from our Putnam days as the dynamic and demanding leader he exemplified. I was the recipient of many Lassergrams, some crushing, some exhilarating, but they were always fair and justified. I always learned from them and worked harder to be the best I could be. When a small group of us wanted to develop one of the earliest technology supported work- at-home programs in America, Larry encouraged and supported it, and celebrated our success when it was nationally recognized as the new working frontier. Larry was my finest example of an outstanding leader and visionary. The leader I always wanted to be. But beyond that outstanding relationship, Larry personally save my wife, my family, and me. Claire had a violent accident in 1998 that left her in excruciating pain and paralyzed In many functions. After several months of recovery, her doctors told us she would not live very long and we should prepare for the worst because there was nothing they could do. My children and family were devastated. Larry heard about Claire´s situation and promptly announced that was not acceptable! Because of the strength of his character and his personal networking, 3 days later, Claire was being evaluated by the most sophisticated doctors in the world and scheduled for one of a kind experimental surgery that successfully gave us all back her life. 6 months later, at a gathering of all the Putnam officers, Claire was able to walk up to Larry and give him a huge hug of love and thanks. At that moment none of us had ever seen Larry so flustered but Claire and I knew how proud he was to have made such a difference. Saying thank you Larry is not enough but the rest of it will always be in our hearts.

Doug Kass

October 29, 2025

A mentor (Putnam) and brilliant investment professional who (along with Marty Hale and Jerry Jordan) worked me hard but taught me so much when I was young.
Cerebral and serious-minded he made an indelible impression on me in my formative years.
I loved his dry sense of humor - e.g., the creation of the "Lassergram" - a critical type written message he would leave on analysts' desks when we messed up!
He will be missed.
May his memory be a blessing.
Dougie Kass

Barry Mosher

October 28, 2025

To Larry´s Family,
My deepest condolences for your loss, Larry was a great CEO and even a better person. I worked for Putnam from 1990 to 2005. Although I never reported to Larry. I had the pleasure working with him occasionally he was a great leader and well respected by many. He helped so many people in so many ways that even Larry himself may not have known. I worked with Larry after he left Putnam and in 2019 helped Larry move into his new office on Federal St and had a few great conversations with him. I wanted to see him again and regret that I will not have that opportunity. Larry will be missed by many.

Barry Mosher

Marion Immerman

October 28, 2025

I remember Larry fondly from when he was my brother-in-law. He always knew the coolest and the best. I am sorry for your loss. Marion Immerman

Noho Hospitality Group - Josh, Luke & AC

Sent Sympathy Gifts including Trees

Sandi Whiston

October 28, 2025

My mentor, protector, and friend. Larry was an important influence on my professional and personal life. He was someone I could turn for advice and council anytime for work, art, managing finances, charitable giving and whatever.
My favorite piece of advice he gave all of us at Putnam when bonuses were awarded was "remember, trees don´t grow to the sky"! He taught me to save for another day.
His passing leaves a hole in my heart.

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