An international mezzo mourns her father’s passing

Jennifer Larmore has asked us to post this tribute:

William Clarence Larmore
September 9, 1917 – July 12, 2014

William Clarence Larmore, 96, completed his life’s journey on Saturday, July 12th, 2014 after a lengthy illness surrounded by his beloved family and friends.

A celebration of the life of this extraordinary man will be held at the Marietta Funeral Home in Marietta, GA. beginning with a viewing from 7 to 9:00 on Sunday, July 13,with a funeral service on Monday, July 14 at 11:00 a.m. Interment will take place on Tuesday, July 15 at the Evergreen Cemetery in Fitzgerald, Georgia.

William Larmore was the only child of William Thomas Larmore and May Eliza Davis of Ottumwa, Iowa. He joined the US Army Air Corps as a maintenance crew chief and served his country during World War II. While stationed at Spence Field Air Force Base in Moultrie, GA. He met Ava Eloise Owens. They were married December 11, 1948 and celebrated 65 years of marriage. He is survived by his wife and four children: Cathy Reynolds, Wendy Baumgarten (Richard), Ray Larmore and Jennifer Larmore-Vittone (Davide); three grandchildren and ten great grandchildren as well as several children of the heart, who he loved dearly.

Author, artist, actor, singer, poet, husband, father, friend, incurable romantic, master of corny jokes, eternal optimist and oh so much more! He was a wonderful Christian man who had the gift of evangelism. He was a deacon, bible teacher, choir member, youth worker and willing volunteer. Bill and Eloise were active members of Piedmont Baptist Church for 17 years until they left to start a mission church on Shallowford Road. They are still members of Woodstock Shallowford Baptist Church.

William Larmore was a graduate of the Pasadena Playhouse, Pasadena, CA. as well as the High Museum School of Art in Atlanta. He began working for the Lockheed Aircraft Company in 1952 as a commercial artist and later as editor of the training manuals. He retired from Lockheed in 1983 and for 19 years worked as a volunteer at the Noonday Baptist Association food pantry.

William enjoyed success as a published writer of short stories, poetry, a novella and a novel. He has always loved the written word, quoting Shakespeare at the age of 6, reading Joseph Conrad, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Rafael Sabatini, and like Scaramouche….. “He was born with the gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad.”