John P. Larkin

LARKIN, JOHN P., age 71, of Maitland, FL, died on May 4, 2006 of complications following a stroke. John was born on July 10, 1936, in Quincy, Massachusetts. He was the fifth of seven children born to Dr. Richard J. Larkin and Alice Murphy Larkin. John was a graduate of Thayer Academy in Braintree, MA, and of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA with a B.S. in physics. John then attended the Naval OCS in Newport, RI. He was commissioned an ensign in 1956. John was an air and radar target intelligence officer with the Heavy Attack Squadron II. He served in the Mediterranean Sea on aircraft carriers USS Roosevelt (FDR) and USS Essex, stationed out of the Sanford Naval Air Station, deployed with the 6th Fleet. John was honorably discharged from active duty as a lieutenant in 1959. John then became a sales representative for W. A. Brown Instruments, Inc. in Orlando. He began as one of ten employees of Mr. Brown's computer company. After 30 years, John became the president of the company with over 100 employees. Anyone who did business with John would say that he was a man of his word. John was a visionary, and his love of Irish culture led him to become the owner of the Kerryman Irish pub in Longwood for several years. The Kerryman was a favorite place to enjoy traditional Irish music and swap stories about adventures in Ireland. John was also an avid sports fan, and was able to watch his favorite baseball team, the Boston Red Sox, win the World Series. John's love of golf led him to build a family golf center in Kissimmee called the Million Dollar Mulligan. He was a long-time member of the Bay Hill Golf Club in Orlando, and played in many tournaments with his brother David in the U.S. and in Ireland. John lived his life to the fullest until the very end. He truly was a man you don't meet every day. John is survived by his wife of 45 years, Nancy Slater Larkin, his son John Peter (Dione) Larkin, Jr. of Fern Park, daughters Kerry (Terry) Sullivan of Maitland, and Cathy (Tim) Egan of Altamonte Springs. John's grandchildren Patrick and Katy Sullivan and Jacob Collier will miss their "Papi" very much. John is preceded by his brother Richard Larkin (Elaine) of San Francisco, CA, and survived by brothers James (Susan) Larkin of Greenwich, CT, David (Robin) Larkin of Edina, MN, sisters Alice Larkin of Worcester, MA, Nancy Dowling (preceded by Gerald Dowling) of Milton, MA, Mary Jane Larkin of Quincy, MA, and goddaughters Hilary Larkin Otoya of Arlington, VA, and Elizabeth Larkin of Edina, MN. John is also survived by many nieces and nephews and his favorite Border Collie, Sean. A visitation will be held at the Cox-Parker Funeral Home in Winter Park on Tuesday, May 9, from 6:30-8:30PM, with a prayer service at 7:30PM. A memorial mass will be held at St. Mary Magdalen Catholic Church in Altamonte Springs on Wednesday, May 10 at 11AM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in John's name to the "Florida Hospital Foundation" designated for the "Break the Chain" Smoking Cessation Program, or to the American Stroke Association at www.strokeassociation.org.