During the early hours of January 30th, 2024, our family said goodbye to a light in our lives. Richard (Rich/Richie/Big Papa) LaDue, 51, of Ontario, NY fought until his last moments to keep his place here in our lives. A loving, patient, generous man; he is loved and fiercely missed by his wife, Kelly; his mom, Nancy James; his sons, Devin and Brandon; his daughters, Carly and Macy Chirdo; his very best friends, Tom, Dave, and Dan; camp friends, work friends, and all who had the pleasure of knowing him. Today, Rich will be happily having a beer and sharing laughs with his dad, Rich LaDue, and stepdad, Joe James.

Our hearts will heal by remembering Rich in his happiest of moments; sitting in a tree stand with his boys, snowmobiling through the woods, sipping an ice cold beer by the lake, and even dancing to the "Applebee's song". At times, Rich could be a man of few words; as he crafted them carefully. Although, we could always expect something quick witted and comically inappropriate. When he wasn't outside working in the yard or his garage Rich could frequently be found with his cats Larry and Peekaboo, who lacked any concept of personal space, splayed across his lap or over a shoulder. There are more photos of him draped with cats than we can count. He hated to love the Buffalo Bills, as all of us upstate New Yorkers do, and spent many Sunday's expressing colorful words at the TV.

More than anything, we will forever remember him as a man who gave every piece of his heart to those around him. Please join us in remembering Rich, a dedicated husband, father, son, and friend from 1-4 pm on Saturday, February 3rd at Murphy Funeral & Cremation Chapel 1961 Ridge Rd. Ontario, NY. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating on Rich's behalf to the Adirondack Wilderness Advocates to support a place that was close to his heart.  To share a special memory please visit www.murphyfuneralservices.com.