Laurence "Larry" Patten Smith

Laurence Patten Smith, known to most as Larry, was born April 23, 1949 in Sigourney, Iowa and passed away on June 25, 2020 at Ava’s House hospice in Sioux Falls, South Dakota following a 28-year battle with Parkinson’s disease. Larry had most recently resided in Vermillion, South Dakota.

Larry grew up in Norwich, Connecticut and attended Norwich Free Academy and Southern Connecticut State University. He lived in Hamden, Connecticut and served 26 years in the Hamden Police Department, retiring at the rank of Captain in 1999. Four years prior to retirement, he resided in Durham, Connecticut where he served on the Board of Finance and several local committees. He subsequently relocated to Vermillion, South Dakota where he founded Mister Smith’s Bakery Café, which gained national fame when it was featured in O, The Oprah Magazine. He served on the Clay County Historic Preservation Commission and spoke frequently at many Parkinson’s support groups and events across the country. Although retired, Larry wasn’t finished yet. After 19 years of living with Parkinson’s disease, in his words he wanted to do “something big” before he was no longer able. Larry decided to ride a bike across South Dakota to raise awareness of the challenges of Parkinson’s disease and the benefits of physical activity to those living with the disease. His journey was captured in the documentary film Ride With Larry (2013) and received many film festival awards. The film is currently available to view on Amazon Prime Video. Larry continued to cycle on a stationary recumbent bicycle until a week before his death.

Larry is survived by his wife of 47 years, Elizabeth (Betty) Smith, and children Sean (Leigh) Fischer of South Windsor, Connecticut; Caroline Smith (Ryan) Loyas of Rice Lake, Wisconsin; and Leland (Sarah) Smith of Brandywine, Maryland; brother Bruce (Linda) Smith; brother Robert (Jane, deceased) Smith; and five grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents Bruce and Eleanor Smith of Norwich, Connecticut; sister Lynn Smith (David) Nickolenko; and brother Gary (Kathy) Seabrook.

Larry’s family would like to thank the kind and caring staff at the Sanford Vermillion Care Center where he resided for ten months before his death. They are also very grateful to Ava’s House hospice staff who helped him to live the last week of his life peacefully and without pain. Last but not least, they would like to thank everyone who supported Larry with love, laughter, lunch, and a glass of wine over the years.

Details regarding an online-only memorial service will be posted on the Ride With Larry page on Facebook. In lieu of flowers, donations to Recycle 605, a Vermillion-based non-profit organization that provides bicycles to children in need, will be gratefully accepted at https://recycle605.org for a planned memorial park in Larry’s honor.