Larry Wayne Rennolds Obituary
Larry Wayne Rennolds was born on November pt 1942 in Fort Myers, Florida to the late Paul M. Rennolds and Ethel Cook Rennolds. He had three sisters – Doris, Ann, and Cathy.
He lived his preschool years in Alva, Florida until his parents moved into a house on Hand Avenue in LaBelle, Florida. That house was built by his grandmother’s family, the Hand’s, sometime around 1904.
Larry loved to hunt, fish, and go camping in teenage years. He used to talk about him and his friends swimming at the site of a failed boomtown just across the county line in Glades County. Many longtime residents of LaBelle have a very “colorful” name for this site which is best left unmentioned. He and his friends would also modify old Ford Model A’s and go off-roading with these vehicles.
Larry used to raise racoons from which he got the nickname “Coon” plus his picture in the Miami Herald when a reporter came through LaBelle looking for a human-interest story.
Larry graduated from LaBelle High School in 1962. Soon after he joined the United States Army on August 9th 1962. He trained in the infantry and earned marksmanship awards as a sharpshooter with the M14 rifle. While in the Army he got training in diesel mechanics and was later stationed in Germany. On leave he would travel by train visiting other countries in Europe. Larry served a three-year enlistment and was honorably discharged on August 3rd 1965 as a sergeant.
After the Army he worked as a mechanic and helped his father at Yeoman’s Service Station in LaBelle. One day he met Randolph Holt whose car had broken down and who needed a ride home. Mr. Holt introduced Larry to his family where he met Margaret “Margie” Holt. Larry and Margaret dated for over a year, marrying on December 3rd 1966.
In October of 1968 their first son Kevin was born. Almost four and a half years later their second son Daniel was born on January 5th 1973. Larry purchased land in Fort Denaud outside of LaBelle where he and Margaret raised their two sons. He was proud of his sons to whom he passed down a good work ethic and taught many life skills. He taught them how to be mechanics but wanted them to follow their own paths. Larry was proud of Kevin for graduating college and he was proud of Daniel for starting and running his own air conditioning company.
Larry was loved by his family and friends. He was happy for his first grandchild Danielle along with her sister Kimberly Grech and brother Jeremey Grech. Larry and Margaret would spoil their grandchildren by taking them on outings and with gifts whenever possible, especially on Christmas. Larry and Margaret got three more grandchildren when Daniel was remarried to Adrienne Taylor, including Carlee, Silvia, and Courtney. He also got two great grandchildren, Lacy and Kaylyn in the remarriage. His son Kevin does not have any children, just some occasionally “interesting” ex-girlfriends.
Larry worked as a diesel mechanic for almost his entire life until his retirement at 63 years old from Stevens and Layton, a civil construction contractor. Larry lost Margaret, the love of his life, on December 22, 2017. They had just celebrated 51 years of marriage a couple of weeks before.
Larry was proud of his granddaughter Danielle graduating from nursing school as an LPN. He loved all of his grandchildren and great grandchildren and was always asking about them.
Larry resided in his home in Fort Denaud until the last three months of his life. Recently he was in and out of hospitals and resided at the Orchid Cove rehabilitation and nursing center, formerly known as Oakbrook and now known as LaBelle Health and Rehabilitation.
Larry was proceeded in death by his parents Paul and Ethel, his wife Margaret, and his sisters Doris Cutshaw and Cathy Howard. He is survived by his sister Ann Brown, sons Kevin and Daniel, and numerous other friends, family, and former co-workers. He was a good, kind, and honest man who enjoyed talking to all people. Larry was and continues to be dearly loved. He will be deeply missed. Read More