Obituary

Lawrence (Larry) Carr was born on November 26, 1916 to Clarence and Helen Carr, on a homestead in Teigen, Montana. He passed away peacefully at the young age of 101, on March 7, 2018.

When Larry was nine years old, his family moved to Bellingham, where he grew up and fell in love with a pretty high school classmate named Melberne Cyr. Their first date was to the school “Not-a-Show.” After high school, Melberne planned to attend Bellingham’s Success Business College. Larry decided that the best way to keep her in his sights was to do the same. They were married on April 16, 1938 and were a devoted twosome for the next 75 years.

In 1945, Larry was drafted into the U.S. Army. He was shipped out to Okinawa as part of an occupation force. His ship was hit by a typhoon on the way over and suffered three cracks in the hull, just managing to survive the storm’s fury.

After his three daughters were born, Larry built a cabin constructed of home-made cement blocks and knotty pine at Gooseberry Point. The family enjoyed many years of overnighters and picnics at the cabin.

Larry’s career was a series of advancements from his first position as time keeper at Bellingham’s Olympic Portland Cement Plant up to the position he held with Kaiser Permanente Cement at the time of his retirement – Director of Operations Accounting – which entailed the responsibility of all operations accounting in Kaiser’s five cement plants, four gypsum plants, and many other Kaiser plants – 38 in all. He and Melberne lived in Bellingham, Los Gatos, Seattle, Jakarta, and Hong Kong while he worked for Kaiser.

Upon retirement in 1979, he and Melberne built their dream home in the Skyline neighborhood of Anacortes. They lived there for 20 years then moved back to Bellingham, where they lived out the rest of their lives.

One of Larry’s favorite places was the Mt. Baker area. In his younger years, he nearly fell into a crevasse while glissading down Mt. Baker, chasing after an errant glove. With quick thinking, he used his ice axe to stop himself. He survived, and he got his glove back as well. This was a favorite story of his that his children would always remember, thankful that they still had him.

He and Melberne enjoyed square dancing, seeing the States in their American Clipper motor home, and traveling the world. They especially enjoyed being with their family, whom they loved with all their hearts.

Larry was known for his sense of humor, integrity, kindness, and wisdom. He was a lifelong learner, using his iPad for science research and email. In his later years, he enjoyed watching the Mariners and the Seahawks play. He was a devoted husband, father, grandpa, and “Papa.” He was honored in a celebration on his 100th birthday, with many friends, neighbors, and relatives in attendance.

Larry is predeceased by his wife Melberne, his eldest daughter Beverly (John) Martin, his grandson Keith Martin, and his siblings Merritt Carr and Irene Downs.

He is survived by his daughters Janice (Bill) Frank and Carolyn (Henry) Muller, his six grandchildren, almost seven great-grandchildren, and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The family is grateful to Larry’s two caregivers, Laurie Carroll and Barbara Feathers, for their devotion and loving care the last few years of his life.

As per his wishes, there will be no services. His family will gather at Heather Meadows, Mt. Baker and plant a tree to honor him later in the summer.

He will be missed immensely.