Hartford, VT – Lorna Elaine Ricard, 87, died Thursday November 13, 2025, at the Jack Byrne Center for Palliative Care in Lebanon, NH.

She was born January 20, 1938, in Middletown, VT a daughter of Manuel and Eleanor (McLaughlin) Ricard. Lorna grew up in the area around Brandon, VT and graduated from Brandon High School before attending Castleton State College. She earned her bachelor's degree in education from Castleton and later worked toward her master's degree. Upon graduation from college Lorna moved to Chester, VT where she took a position at Chester High School teaching Physical Education and later taught science at Bellows Falls Middle School. Lorna's love of sports made her a natural coach, and she enjoyed coaching basketball and softball for many years. While teaching in Bellows Falls, she met Dorothy Jones, and they were close friends and companions for many years. When Dot became ill, Lorna moved to Hartford to be able to care for her and has lived there since.

Lorna was a die-hard sports fan who enjoyed playing, coaching, and watching sports of all types, especially football. She was an avid New England Patriots fan until Tom Brady moved to Tampa and has since become an Eagles fan. She also enjoyed the Red Sox and more recently the Philadelphia Phillies. She loved spending time outdoors, gardening, golfing, skiing, and riding her motorcycle with her close friend Anne Rodia. Lorna travelled both locally and cross-country in her camper.

She was very active in her community and volunteered and served on many boards including the Hartford Library, Hartford Historical Society, Hartford Women's Club, the Upper Valley Grange and as a passionate animal lover, the Hartford Dog Park.

She is predeceased by her longtime friend, Dorothy Jones and four brothers, Donald, Edward, Byron and Leslie Ricard, a nephew Manuel Ricard, and niece Darla Ricard.

She leaves her best friend Anne Rodia of Galloway, NJ and Hartford, VT; and several nieces and nephews, Sherry Humiston of Goshen, VT, Judy Disorda of Brandon, VT, Laurie Kenyon of Forest Dale, VT, Amy Fredericks of Pittsford, VT, Lorna Beth Morrison of Hortonia, VT, Valerie Alaniz of Texas, Glenn Ricard of Windsor, VT and Donald Ricard of White River Jct. as well as her Cairn Terrier, "Pickles."

A visitation will be held at the Knight Funeral Home in White River Jct. on Monday November 17, 2025, from 1-3 PM with a funeral service to follow at 3PM.

A second visitation will be held at the Miller & Ketcham Funeral Home in Brandon, VT on Tuesday, November 18, 2025 from 12-2PM, with a funeral service at 2pm, followed by burial in the Forest Dale Cemetery.

Condolences to Lorna's family may be made in an online guestbook at knightfuneralhomes.com

Contributions in her memory may be made to the Lucy Mackenzie Humane Society, PO Box 702, Brownsville, VT 05037 or at lucymac.org.