Saturday, July 25, 2020
I was shocked and saddened to hear of Larry's passing. I've been meaning to write something here but honestly had a hard time gathering my thoughts. Larry was my first best friend. The Peterson's lived near us in Northgate Apartments in Virginia. Ellie and Polly were the same age as my sister Kate and my bother Matthew and Larry and I were the same age. So it was a natural fit between the families and I remember a real closeness, seemed more like family than friends. After the Peterson's moved away, they'd always drop by to catch up whenever they were in town. Those were the days when children were encouraged to make themselves scarce and leave the parents to talk in peace. Larry and I always managed to find some woods to explore, a pond to skip rocks across or some sort of trouble to get into (and usually we got away with it). I think we were 15 or 16 the last time we saw each other. Makes me think, of all the people that come and go in our lives, some are good, some are bad, most are bit of both. But there's those few that are just all good. For me, Larry was one of those people in my life. Although we saw each other just now and then and it's been years, I honestly have nothing other than great memories of childhood fun and laughter with a good friend, as it should be. We grew up and went our separate paths to each find our way in the world - but I thought of him now and then, and i always had it in the back of my mind that someday I need to catch up with him and sit down over a few beers and get to know Larry Peterson the man - and so it will always be.
My thoughts and prayers are with the family.