ROCKINGHAM, Vt. – Laurence “Larry” M. Bart died Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020. Although he had had Alzheimer’s disease for many years, he finally succumbed to the Covid-19 virus.
Larry Bart was born in New York City in 1949. He was adopted at birth by Max and Rhoda Bart, a Jewish couple. Throughout Larry’s life, his Judaism was a comfort and a refuge. Larry attended the University of South Florida where he flourished, earning first a bachelor’s degree, then a master’s, and finally a doctorate in psychology. He used to say that one of his experimental psych professors described him as “the monkey who would always figure out how to get the banana.”
Larry moved to the College of William and Mary in 1986 to work as a clinical psychologist in the Counseling Center. There he met his future wife Debra Drown. They soon moved to Vermont and were married in 1987. In 1994, they traveled to China to adopt their daughter Jessamyn. They had a rich life full of friends and travels, events, and long talks on the deck of their house in Rockingham.
Larry worked at the Brattleboro Retreat as a clinical psychologist for 20 years. He truly cared about the patients he worked with and did all he could to help them. He lost his job in 2007 most probably due to the progression of his illness. Larry had a big laugh and a quirky mind. He was so very intelligent. He loved to bicycle, kayak, and swim. He particularly loved to play the guitar and did so on his Martin guitar with the rich sound of a bell.
Most importantly, Larry had a big and loving heart and he gave of it freely. He is survived by his wife Debra Drown, his daughter Jessamyn Bart, his cousin Stuart Septoff, and many, many friends. There will be no replacing him.