Dr. Ryan M. Long

Dr. Ryan M. Long, 48, of Madbury, died on Aug. 18, 2025, at his home. He was a loving father, husband, son, brother and friend who doted on his three children, Parker, Ryan and James, and his wife, Emily, always putting them first in every situation. He loved to garden, played competitive hockey and could often be found golfing with friends.

Raised in Bedford, N.H., Ryan formed his core group of friends early and remained close with them all until his passing. He was a natural leader, frequently bringing new music, joy and experiences to everyone around him. An accomplished musician, he wrote and recorded his own album of original songs in his early 20s and played countless live shows in and around New Hampshire.

His love of adventure and new experiences brought him to Los Angeles, where he worked for Sony Pictures and got to spread his joy of life with friends on the West Coast. But the pull of New England and his friends and family back home was too great, and Ryan left for Martha's Vineyard, where he spent summers driving a cab for All Island Taxi -- again making friends at every stop along the way.

Ryan was a proud graduate of the University of New Hampshire and later obtained his MA in Mental Health Counseling from UNH, as well as his PsyD in School Psychology from the University of Southern Maine. He was a past president of the NH Association of School Psychologists, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and had professional ties to Plymouth State University, Seacoast Mental Health, Best Buddies New Hampshire and the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

His love of community and desire to help others led him to become a school psychologist for the Oyster River Cooperative School District, where his devotion to his students was unmatched.

Ryan loved life and will be remembered as having an infectious smile, a loving and endearing personality and wit that people wanted to be around. He was almost always the brightest light in the room. Those who knew him best loved his ability to poke fun at himself and were frequently blessed with random texts on his thoughts on life -- often hilarious and always original. In recent years, he was happier than ever with his family and the life he worked so hard to create. Ryan was a true individual, and his larger-than-life personality touched so many people everywhere he went.

He is survived by his youngest son, James; his mother, Donna Long; his father, Robert Bolton; two sisters, Colleen LaFrance and Kelly Nash; his brother, Sean Bolton; and countless family members and friends. A GoFundMe has been established for his son, James Long.

A private celebration of Ryan's life has been scheduled for family members, close friends and work colleagues on Oct. 10. To inquire about details, please email RyanLong.COL@gmail.com with the number of people in your party and your relation to Ryan.