Lawrence "Larry" Egan
Lawrence "Larry" Egan Obituary
Memorial Services will take place
Saturday, April 22, 2023
Gathering 10:00am – Service 12:00pm
Fred Wood Funeral Home –Rice Chapel
36100 Five Mile Road, Livonia, Michigan 48154
For Larry's love of Education and Community in lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation to
3711 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201
Or
Lawrence (Larry) David Egan passed away on April 12, 2023 at the age of 94.
Born April 8, 1929 in Detroit, Michigan. He was a graduate of Redford High
School and received a BA from the University of Detroit. He entered the Army in
January 1952 and served honorably until December 1953. Back home in
Michigan, he continued his education and received a JD from Detroit College of
Law.
In 1959, while working at an insurance company, he met his coworker, and
future wife, Barbara Jean at a company bowling event. He left Detroit to work in
Omaha, Nebraska. Numerous letters he wrote to Barb during 1961 and 1962
demonstrate why he returned to Detroit and eventually married in September
1962.
Larry had a life-long love of hats, and, at the age of 12 took the trolley into
downtown Detroit to buy his first cap. From then on, Larry was never seen
going out without a cap on his head. At the age of 13, he procured his first job
sorting clothes at the local dry cleaner, and he also was a golf caddy. By 16, he
was working on a car ferry that ran from Detroit to Buffalo. After he began
practicing law in the ‘60s, Larry decided to leave Ford Motor Company and
become a big fish in a small pond, joining a small worker’s comp law firm which
eventually carried his name. In 1988, he was appointed judge by then governor,
James Blanchard.
Larry loved travel, and not a year went by where he didn’t load up the car at 3:00
AM to hit the road on a family vacation, from the last Apollo liftoff, to
Gettysburg, to all sites along the eastern seaboard, as well as sharing his love of
cars by dragging the family to various car shows, often reminding us that we’re
the reason his beloved 1959 Porsche had to go.
When asked what it was like to be a father, Larry remarked “Happy memories,
just having my kids made me happy.” His children would describe his parenting
style as “free range” causing our mother to quip one time that “the guardian
angels were working overtime.” He was a teaser, said his sister, Rosemary, and
he had a playful, somewhat rule-breaker persona. One family vacation, despite
warnings to go beyond a chain-link barrier around a monument, and over
protestations of our mother, he hoisted all the kids over to achieve a perfect
photo op.
He remarked that the greatest invention of the 20 th Century was the airplane.
So, naturally, as empty nesters, he and Barb continued their love of travel, from
going to the Reno air races to many places all over the US, Canada, Ireland, Italy,
and the UK.
Larry’s interests were legion, which led to a keen and curious mind for many
decades. He enjoyed boxing and was at an historical fight at Yankee Stadium of
Sugar Ray Robinson and Carmen Basilio. He recalled he was seated right behind
Milton Berle. He discovered a love of pool after driving the famous Billy Joe
“Cornbread Red” Burge to a tournament. He loved the ponies and would take
his kids to the Detroit Race Track. If he wasn’t watching the Triple Crown, he
could be found watching Tigers baseball, tennis, PBS, 60 Minutes, or Seinfeld.
He was a voracious reader, especially of history and current events.
He was an avid movie buff and could easily name movies, their stars, and
directors over many decades, from silent films and well into the 21 st Century.
Larry loved jazz music. He could name all the top artists from the 1930s
forward. He also was often seen with his New York Times, quipping to Barb, in a
1961 letter, that he’d “walked all over Omaha trying to find a Sunday New York
Times with no success.”
Given Larry’s countless interests and vast depth of knowledge, his children
encouraged him, without success, to try out for the TV show, Jeopardy.
He will be missed by many.
Larry was predeceased by his parents, Laurence & Elizabeth, by his loving wife,
Barbara Jean, dear brother, John Martin, OP. Beloved father of Andrea (Michael)
Wabeke, Paul (Amy), Michael (Brenda-deceased 2020), and Denise (John) Klein.
Grandpa/Papa of Elizabeth Klein, Valerie Egan, Philip Klein, Sean Egan, Aaron
Egan. Cherished brother of Rosemary Gouin, Brother-in-law and Sister-in-law
John & Marilynn Smeggil. Also leaves nieces and nephews.
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