Client Spotlight
Larry's Story
by Polly Schleicher
Do we realize the treasure we have in knowing the men and women we deliver meals to each day? I began doing Meals On Wheels to give back to my community, and in turn have been abundantly blessed by each and every person I've met through the years. It is a privilege for me to let them know we care and respect them for a job well done and a life well lived.
Larry is one of these special people. He is of Scottish decent, born in 1915 on the border of Scotland and England. In his youth he delivered meat from house to house on his bicycle. At 16 he was apprecticed as a joiner (furniture maker and carpentry) for five years.
When Larry was 17 he met a young girl named Julia, who was 16. For three years they walked together toward home, and then they began to hold hands.
Larry and Julia eventually married and had a baby they named Lawrence. When the war came, Larry remembers looking at this pretty young woman, with tears in her eyes, holding their little son, as he pulled out of the station to go to war. He had no idea it would be five years before he would see them again!
He was shipped to Africa where he served two years as a corporal in the desert. When General Romel moved into Africa, Larry was captured and spent three years as a prisoner of war. After the war, he returned to his family and they resumed their life.
Larry and Julia decided to go to Canada where Julia's brother ws living. Larry found work as a carpenter. When he learned that no one built homes in the winter, Larry worked at other jobs, including one with the Canadian National Railroad. The cold winters motivated them to try life in the U.S.A. By this time the family included a daughter, Margaret, who was born six years after their son.
By 1955, they were living in San Francisco where Larry worked with a builder. He then became a foreman for a building firm that constructed Holiday Inns and worked on many motels and hotels which required Larry to travel to oversee the jobs.
In 1977, Larry retired. He and Julia traveled and enjoyed themselves. They moved to Texas in 1986 where Larry built their home in Grapevine. He still lives in that home which is next door to his daughter and son-in-law.
After 64 years of marriage, Larry lost the love of his life in 2002. He cherishes a lifetime of wonderful memories and still loves to carve and build things with wood. His son takes him on R. V. adventures, and he was able to go to England for a family wedding and a visit with his brother a few years ago. He has some great pictures of himself in kilts.
Larry loves a good joke and chuckles about the Christmas that he gave his children boxes with false bottoms in which he'd hidden their Christmas checks. Larry will be 92 in August. Keep on truckin' Larry. We love you!
(Polly is a long-time driver. She loves being a Christmas Elf and has helped with the golf tournament, at Sadies' and with the Argyyle Blue Grass Festival. Thank you Polly for being such a good friend to our Seniors.)