Visitation
Tuesday, February 11, 2025
9:30 AM to 11:00 AM EST
Faith Community Church of West Michigan
2600 7th Street NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 453-0693
Web Site
Service
Tuesday, February 11, 2025
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM EST
Faith Community Church of West Michigan
2600 7th Street NW
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 453-0693
Web Site
Contributions
At the family's request memorial contributions are to be made to those listed below. Please forward payment directly to the memorial of your choice.
Faith Hospice
8214 Pfeiffer Farms Dr. SW
Byron Center, MI 49315
(616) 235-5113
Driving Directions
Web Site
Flowers
Below is the contact information for a florist recommended by the funeral home.
Ball Park Floral
8 Valley Ave.
Grand Rapids, MI 49504
(616) 459-3409
Driving Directions
Web Site
Life Story / Obituary
With a warm, welcoming smile and a kind heart, Laurence A Elder Jr. lived a life rich in faith, family, and friends. Larry was a creative and handy man who never hesitated to lend his time and talents in service of others. Dedicated to his family and community, Larry enjoyed every moment he spent with those he loved. Whether taking a trip, playing a game of cards, or sharing a conversation over coffee, Larry lived each moment to the fullest. A loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend, Larry will long be remembered and dearly missed.
Born in the spring of 1938 to the late Laurence and Mary (Peters) Elder, Larry grew up on Reed Street SW in Grand Rapids. Sadly, his mother, who was a homemaker, was killed in an automobile accident when Larry was an infant.
Larry had two sisters, Rita and Sharon; his father worked as a painter. Summertime was fun, especially when Larry traveled to his aunt and uncle’s New Era, Michigan farm. The family also enjoyed vacationing in Chicago and California. As a youth, Larry played tag, hide and seek, rode bikes, and liked to fish. He also delivered delivered papers for the Grand Rapids Press.
After graduating from Kelloggsvills High School with the class of 1956, Larry attended Grand Rapids Community College. For a time, he had a small bicycle repair business. Over the years, he attended various churches in the area.
While at the family cabin, Larry met his future wife, Carol, his friend’s sister. The couple dated for three years and married on January 18, 1995, at Little Chapel of the Flowers in Las Vegas.
Larry and Carol made their home on Timberlee Ave NW in Grand Rapids and became members of Faith Community Church of West Michigan. Larry worked as a millwright in machine maintenance. After retiring from Steelcase in 2003, he began driving cars for Courtesy Dodge and Health Care Associates.
The proud father of three sons, James, Scott, and Craig, Larry enjoyed Rock and Roll and Country music. Elvis, The Temptations, and Peter, Paul, and Mary were some of his favorite music artists. Larry also enjoyed hunting, fishing, and scuba diving in Lake Michigan. He could often be found playing cards and board games, visiting the casino, and going out for breakfast or coffee.
In the comforts of home, Larry enjoyed having his wife read the Bible and other books to him and watching cooking shows on TV. He loved popcorn and enjoyed a good meal of shrimp, lobster, salmon, bass, and the bluegills he caught. Time spent in cottages in Pentwater, enjoying fish boils, and visiting with friends in Traverse City was always treasured.
Other memorable trips included traveling to Las Vegas and Laughlin, Nevada, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and visiting relatives in Titusville and Orlando, Florida. Larry enjoyed taking bus trips and epic riverboat cruises on the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. Closer to home, he and Carol watched the fireworks on the Grand River from their hotel room at the Amway Grand Hotel several times.
An Envoy Beta Sigma Phi International Sorority member and a dedicated Detroit Lions fan, Larry collected coins, baseball hats, and guns, including some old family possessions. He liked to tinker in his basement workshop and spend time outdoors hunting, fishing, working in the yard, and driving his lawn tractor. He also enjoyed hosting get-togethers.
Larry was always willing to lend a hand and thoroughly enjoyed working with Health Care Associates, transporting patients to and from doctor appointments. He enjoyed his home and worked to make sure it was very comfortable for Carol and himself. Larry was also a proud grandfather to his granddaughter Stephanie and great-granddaughter Peyton. He especially cherished knowing that his granddaughter continues his and Carol’s tradition of leaning over and kissing each other while going through the car wash with her husband.
As we celebrate Larry’s life, may we find much comfort in our many treasured memories. May we also find comfort in the honor of carrying his legacy of kindness and goodwill forward. In each moment we greet a stranger as a friend, share a smile and good conversation, serve our community, enjoy a game of cards or a day of fishing, and travel with our beloved, we celebrate the countless ways Larry inspired us to embrace each moment as a gift.
Laurence A. Elder Jr., of Grand Rapids, Michigan, passed away on Monday, February 3, 2025, with his faithful wife of thirty years by his side. Laurence was born in the spring of 1938 to the late Laurence and Mary Elder. Along with his parents, Larry is preceded in death by his sister, Rita Hughes. Larry is survived by his wife, Carol Jean Elder; his sons James, Scott, and Tony Elder; his granddaughter, Stephanie (Doug) Scott, and great-granddaughter, Payton; his sister Sharon; as well as many nieces and nephews, and his special friend, Harold Radford.
A service to remember Larry’s life will be held on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, at Faith Community Church of West Michigan, 2600 7th Street NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504, at 11:00 am. Friends and family are invited to visit at church starting at 9:30 until the time of the service. Larry’s family would like to thank the staff of Faith Hospice, especially Kaila, Lisa, Sabrina, Caleb, and Allie. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be directed to Faith Hospice. To leave a memory or sign the guest book, please visit www.heritagelifestory.com