About Ryan

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Ryan John Folsom was born March 24, 1988 in Cleveland, Ohio. He grew up in Medford, Oregon.  He married Lauren Thompson April 23, 2011.  Ryan passed away at age 29 on January 7, 2018 when his car was struck by a wrong-way driver on I-5 in Anderson, California.  One of the most tragic aspects of Ryan’s death was that he died three weeks before his third son was born. 

He is survived by his wife, Lauren Folsom, and his sons, Cal, Grady, and Ryan Brooks Folsom; his parents, Dave and Melinda Folsom; his siblings and their spouses - sister, Emily Williams and her husband, Nate; brother, Rob Folsom and his wife, Ashley; sister, Kate Brase and her husband, Jason; and sister, Halley Folsom.

Ryan graduated from North Medford High School in 2006 where he was an all-state star in football and wrestling. He graduated with a masters degree in neuroscience from Brigham Young University. He still holds the single season Black Tornado rushing record and he has the 8th longest run (74 yards) in Cougar football history.  

Ryan was set to graduate from University of Texas at San Antonio medical school in the Spring of 2018, just a few months after his premature death. Ryan earned Alpha Omega Alpha honors, ranking in the top ten percent of his class. 

Ryan was a leader and hero in many ways.  He was an Eagle Scout. He served as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Seoul, South Korea from 2008 to 2010. 

Ryan’s interests were eclectic and broad - he loved the outdoors, played the mandolin, loved sports, music, cycling, and superheroes.

A poem by Douglas Malloch was his favorite: "...Good timber does not grow with ease: The stronger wind, the stronger trees; The further sky, the greater length; The more the storm, the more the strength. By sun and cold, by rain and snow, In trees and men good timbers grow..."