Nelson Darrow Large

Nelson Darrow Large, DDS, of Salisbury, passed away Monday, Feb. 27, 2017, at the Lutheran Home at Trinity Oaks. He was 97. Born Sept. 14, 1919, in Rocky Mount, as the second of five children to the late H. Lee Large, M.D., Sr., and Nellie Brockwell Large, he was a graduate of Rocky Mount schools, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Medical College of Virginia. He served in the United States Navy during World War II. He was then loaned by the Navy to the United States Army where he served during the post war years in Japan. He completed 20 years of service in the Naval Reserve and retired with the rank of Captain. He was recognized for specialty in the field of oral pathology, for which he received training at the Walter Reed Army Hospital. He retired from the position of Chief of Dental Service at the VA Hospital in Salisbury after 44 years of government service. Dr. Large was a longtime member of St. Luke's Episcopal Church, where he served in many capacities including the vestry, as lay reader and as member of the choir. He was an active member of the Salisbury/Rowan community, most notably in the Civitan Club, the Amateur Radio Club (he carried an active amateur radio license from the time he was a teenager (call letters: W4FQV)), and the Piedmont Players. Before his retirement, Dr. Large enjoyed teaching dental hygiene and dental assistant students at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. Preceding him in death was his wife, Sally Ann Graham Large on April 17, 1999, and all of his siblings. He is survived by his son Wendell Graham Large of Portland, Maine and his wife Soozie, and their daughter Nellie; his daughter Leslie-Ann Stevens of Manassas, Va. and her husband Mark, and their daughters Mary Beth and Kristin; his cousin Bruce Large, of Johnson City, Tenn.; and many nieces and nephews. Service: A memorial service will be held at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Salisbury on Saturday, March 11, 2017 at 2 p.m. Memorials: Donations are not necessary, but may be made to the St. Luke's Episcopal Church, 131 W. Council St., Salisbury, NC 28144. Summersett Funeral Home is serving the Large family. Online condolences may be made at www.summersettfuneralhome.com.