This blog was originally published on October 6, 2024. With the exception of updates related to time, no other changes have been made.
On September 29, 2024, after a long battle with cancer, Larry Carpenter went home to be with his Lord. At a time when boundless egos, exaggerated statements of accomplishments, and padded resumes are acceptable, Larry was a breath of fresh air: He was humble, gracious, and steady and loved the Lord and his family with all his heart! The foundations for his extraordinary life can be traced back to his formative years in Southern Ohio where his parents were well-respected members of a Bible-believing church and taught their children what really matters in life. Thankfully, he never forgot where he came from and to Whom he belonged.
Athlete
Growing up in a sports-loving family, he excelled in baseball and basketball. Upon graduation from high school, he came to Lee College (now Lee University) to continue his sports career, and as a member of the men’s basketball team, Larry became Lee’s first All-American athlete. Rather than looking for greener pastures, he devoted the remainder of his life to his beloved alma mater, serving as an assistant coach, head coach, and Athletic Director for over 30 years.
In announcing Larry’s death to the faculty, Dr. Paul Conn succinctly summed up all those years: “Larry … has been the leader of athletics at Lee since he was a young man. He came to Lee from Ohio as a freshman basketball player and stayed for a lifetime. To an extraordinary degree, he brought Lee athletics from a small and virtually unknown program in the 1970’s to become the national NCAA DII leader which it is today. He was there for every step and enjoyed the entire journey.”
Godly Family Man
As I write this section, I am struggling to keep my tears below the surface. Technically, Larry and I were brothers-in-law; however, our relationship was much deeper than that. Both of us wisely married into the Doyle and Ruth Johnson clan — my wife Linda was the oldest daughter, and his wife Cherri was the youngest daughter. Over the years, I became the older brother that he never had, and he became the younger brother that I had always wanted. I am so tempted to say little brother — but since he was 6’5” tall, doing so would ruin my credibility! We could, and often did, share our hurts, fears, suffering, and aspirations, without any confidentiality concerns.
Below Larry’s quiet demeanor, lurked the heart of a champion and a fierce competitor. This was always evident when he sensed any possible danger that might be facing his wife, children, or grandchildren. Upon receiving the dreaded diagnosis of cancer, those instincts exponentially increased, and he gallantly fought to live — always reassuring me, “I am not afraid to die; I just don’t want to leave Cherri and my family.” When it became clear that God was not going to heal him in this life, I watched a wonderful awareness of the Lordship of Jesus Christ and His Sovereignty rise above everything else in both him and Cherri and filter down throughout the family.
In my last conversation with him, we talked about all the persons he was soon going to see again and rejoiced that he would no longer have any sickness or pain coursing through his body. It was very evident that Larry had spent time thinking about the Apostle Paul’s assurance that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, and how that serves as a precursor to the resurrection from the dead. Sensing that he was getting very tired and needed to sleep, I made my final request to my younger brother, “If you die before I do, would you tell Linda and Jeffery that I love them and I am coming too?” He looked straight at me and said, “I’ll do it, Buddy.”
Continuing Legacy
In the Summer 2024 edition of Torch Magazine, Carmen Lastoria provided readers with a meaningful purpose statement that highlights the philosophy and continuing legacy of Larry Carpenter: “The vision of the Lee Athletic Department is to develop and graduate champions in the classroom, their sport, their faith, and in the community. While Lee athletes continue to win at a high level in their sport, and in the classroom, it’s the victories in their faith and the impact they are making in the community that shine bright long after their playing days are over.”
Ron Harvard Ministries 