Laurence E. Eubank

1948 - 2021

June 18, 1948 - September 1, 2021

From Michigan to India to Maine to Russia to New York back to Maine to California, Laurence E. Eubank lived a life of wonder and adventure.

Raised in Detroit and educated at Michigan State University, Laurence went off to the Peace Corps in India to help farmers in a village outside of Jaipur boost their cattle production and then thumbed around Asia and Australia before embarking on a career as a carpenter, homebuilder, and real estate developer. When the wanderlust struck again he went back to the Peace Corps, this time in Saratov, Russia, to lead American entrepreneurs and consultants helping Russian entrepreneurs set up their businesses after the fall of the USSR. That experience led to a few years of trying to identify, support, and invest in those potentially successful entrepreneurs, running between New York City and Moscow for the US Russia Investment Fund.

Next came living on Zuby, his 42-foot sailboat, in Portland Maine, while publishing magazine articles on sailing, international development and investing, and writing the modern-day "great Russian novel," A Bend in The Volga. It was during this period that Laurence, while serving as a groomsman at the wedding of friends from his Saratov days, very briefly met the woman, Alin Wall, who 13 years later was to become the love of his life.

Other adventures ensued. Laurence was the captain on a ship competing in the Marion Bermuda Race, a 645-nautical-mile ocean race. He twice bicycled across America with his son Louie, once taking a northern route and once a southern one. From those two crazy and fabulous trips came his nonfiction adventure piece, Spokes. And along the way, he studied with Jorma Kaukonen to perfect his mastery of the guitar which he carried with him on all his travels.

And then, on a 2010 reunion trip to Yosemite with the friends he met during the Saratov project, Laurence re-met Alin, and POW! They were both hit with the same bolt of lightning, were never again apart, and lived happily-ever-after together until now.

After joining Alin in Santa Monica, Laurence finished another novel, Run Down the Wind, and several screenplays. He became very active in local politics, chaired their neighborhood association, served on several commissions, and was the driving force behind a PAC that helped elect new city council members. During these joyous years, he was often seen riding his bike all over town with his long silver hair flying in the wind, or playing his guitar with friends in the park, or walking shih-tzus Ellie and Lulu and his favorite, miniature poodle Charlie.

Laurence will be terribly missed by the many friends he made all over the world, and by his loving family: wife Alin Wall; son Louis Eubank and wife Katie, granddaughters Brooklyn, Sierra and Mackenzie and their little brother on the way; sister Anne & Paul Glendon; sister Dorothy & Bob Deremo and their children and spouses; brother John & Kathy Eubank and their children and spouses; his closest nephew and wife Spencer Glendon & Lisa Tung; his closest niece and husband Christina Glendon & Brian Ellman; and his friend and former wife Marty Riehle & her wife Janis Childs.

After so many years in the construction industry, adventures around the world, and just living life, Laurence developed a lung disease that eventually led to his untimely passing on September 1st. One celebration of Laurence will be planned for Santa Monica CA and one for Portland ME, both sometime in the weeks to come.

To donate to an organization that Laurence cared deeply about, please consider the Equal Justice Initiative at www.support.eji.org. And please honor his memory by living your own life to the absolute fullest!