Ryan W. Dement

Native Islander and college student who distinguished himself in sports, academics

Staten Island native Ryan Dement, 18, of Alto, N.M., a student at the University of Denver and graduate of New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI), died Dec. 24, 2016, at his home.

Ryan was born in Staten Island, N.Y., in 1998 and moved with his family to Alto in 2002. He was a graduate of NMMI (New Mexico Military Institute), where he played baseball for the Colt team. In 2013, he toured Australia with an international traveling team that won the championship. In the summer of 2014, Ryan was awarded a six-week scholarship to study Arabic in Morocco. He additionally attended a summer camp in north Georgia to also study Arabic and studied international relations at American University.

He also served four years on the NMMI concert choir, the last year of which he was its president. This admired group traveled to such places as Colorado, Oklahoma, California and earlier this year performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

Ryan graduated from NMMI in 2016 and was awarded the Daniel Fund Scholarship, an all-inclusive scholarship, bestowed annually to graduating high school students who demonstrate exceptional character, leadership and commitment to serving the community. He was attending the University of Denver, where he planned to secure a BA and MBA in International Studies and pursue a career in U.S. foreign policy or national intelligence.

Among his other accomplishments, he did community service work for Congressman Steve Pearce in Roswell, N.M.

In addition to playing baseball, Ryan was an avid Yankees fan and his favorite player was Derek Jeter. He enjoyed working on his 2011 Dodge Charger, playing guitar and piano, and spending time with his sister, Jenna, going to softball games and trips to Australia, Dublin and the Caribbean.

He was predeceased by his father, William Dement, and survived by his mother, Barbara (Mulcahy) Dement; his sister, Jenna Dement, his grandmother, Beatrice Mulcahy, and many loving aunts and uncles - Pat Mulcahy, Janet Mulcahy, Arlene Khoury, Maureen Gerse, Karen Mulcahy, Kevin Mulcahy and Tom Mulcahy.

Family and friends will be received at Harmon Funeral Home on Friday, Dec. 30, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. A Funeral Mass will be held at Sacred Heart Church on Saturday, Dec. 31, at 10 a.m. followed by a burial at St. Peter's Cemetery.

A memorial service in Ruidoso, N.M., is also being planned.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation be made to New Mexico Military Institute (NMMI) at http://www.nmmi.edu/foundation/index.htm

Harmon Funeral Home

571 Forest Ave.

Staten Island, NY 10310

(718) 442-5056

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Published in Staten Island Advance on Dec. 29, 2016

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