Lawrence Wayne Emard

Lar... Wow. One year ago today, you left this world for parts unknown, and I can only hope you've discovered otherworldly sounds like your Beach Boys songs. Missing you, missing those moments when you were completely out there-like blowing the dog hair out of the house with the lawn blower before D got home. What an unforgettable memory. Life on this earth without you feels a bit empty ; it was simply better when you were here.

I first met Larry when he and Linda Darlene were dating. We were room mates in Atlanta at the time, and I was struck by what a nice fellow he was and how he doted on her and loved her.

Their years together were wonderful but just too short. I enjoyed seeing them every couple of years in St. Augustine and visiting with them both. Friends forever.

Rest in Peace in Heaven, Lar. To my sweet friend, Linda Darlene - we are here for you always. Love to you both.

Kim Cathcart Ringer Pflugerville Texas.

Lar Happy 77th Birth Day to you in all your splendor above. I went onto Amazon to buy your annual Beach Boys T Shirt and then realized last year you got a few extra so you should be good for awhile. Missing you and our very way out there talks, no one understood me as much as you did. Send lottery numbers when ya can......Fly high Lar!!!!!!!!

Happy B-Day, Dad! We miss you every day and are so grateful to have had the perfect dad for me. You are missed. You are loved.

I met Larry about twenty years ago when he and Darlene booked a room at our pet friendly motel. I don't think his bags were unpacked before the two of us were talking about Beach Boys and Hot Rods. He was driving a red Chevy pickup truck with a roll pan and lowered suspension, and I was impressed. Larry and Darlene would frequent our humble establishment where our friendship grew over the years. Every Christmas Larry would call me to wish me a happy birthday without fail, and every year we would talk about getting together. We finally did get together in May of 2024, three months before his passing. Though Larry was in pain, he still managed to be the perfect host. Kind, considerate, and gentle at heart were the attributes I will remember him by, especially around the Christmas holidays. You will be missed.

I will try to keep this brief - as brief as it can be for 70+ years of memories with Lar. We lived a half block away from each other in La Grange, Il, started kindergarten together at 7th Avenue School and first became good friends in 4th grade and continued to be good friends until the move to Atlanta after our sophomore year of high school - 1963.

We did the normal kid things of the 50's - riding bikes, playing ball, building model cars (his were always more customized, swimming in the above ground pool in his back yard. Two things that stood out from the previously posted memories - the first is The Beach Boys, the soundtrack of our childhood was car tunes from Jan and Dean, The Beach Boys and others, it was the music that takes me back to those days every time I hear it. The second thing is his love of animals, growing up Lar had two cats - Tippie a black and white cat with a white tip on her tail and later another cat Hollywood Muffler - aka Muffie. There was one summer we would ride out bikes down to the local pet shop everyday to wonder through looking at assorted tropical fish, hamsters, guinea pigs etc.

The Emard family did a couple of summer trips out west in the 1956 Mercury station wagon and Lar came back with Stories of exotic places like Pikes Peak, Estes Park, Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park. To a midwestern kid the mountains and wildlife seemed like a world away and I was envious of those trips but eventually I got to experience them for myself and it may be one of the reasons that I live in Montana now in the shadow of those mountains.

Eventually we discovered girls but that's another story.

Years later when I was in the Army in Georgia we reconnected and a few times traveling on business we were able to catch up about what had happened over the years. The most memorable time was pulling up to his house in Alpharetta with the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile for a surprise visit, at the time I was managing a fleet of those vehicles and had managed the design and build of six new hot dogs on wheels.

The last time we got together was about 12 years ago in St. Augustine for dinner, again catching up on the adult version of our selves.

In recent years we called each other on our birthdays - joking about hoping someone answers the phone. We didn't have much in common to talk about - kids, dogs, his hotrod and as people our age do dealing with various ailments but not dwelling on them. I will miss those twice a year conversations but will never forget knowing Lar for 70 years, growing up together, sharing adventures and having a bond that will never be forgotten.

My deepest condolences to his family and those who knew him better than I did.

Russ Whitacre

Darlene shared some wonderful photos from she and Larry's wedding on March 9th, 1991 and another from a Christmas party they attended at Darlene's work. :)

I first met Larry with his son at a race in Alabama back during the Atlanta olympics. Larry was riding a scooter and waiting for scott to finish a run. He was cool and they helped us with our car even though we had them the next round. We met up by accident at a lot of races after that and just kinda hit it off. I have not seen Larry in a long time but when Tommy told me it feels like we just hung out but that was back in early 2ks...

I don´t remember the first time I met Larry. We built street rods together so I would guess it was sometime around 1974 or 1975. We might not get together for 3 or 4 months but when we did get together it was like it was only yesterday we spoke. Anytime I needed anything he was the first one there. He and 5 other street rodders met in my back yard and built a 30´x40´ garage in one day! I remember it being so hot but we got everything but the shingles. At the celebration party I was presented a custom piece of artwork with a picture of my 1932 Ford in front of the Taj Mahal. The official name was "THE TAJ MAGRAGE! Of course that was signed by all in attendance and remains one of my prize possessions. I miss my friend. God speed Larry.

There are so many memories with my dad. He would take us to his studio while he worked. He encouraged our creativity. He showed me how to restore and build cars. He was fun with my sweet daughter and loved my beautiful wife. He was funny, kind, creative. My dad was a great hang and an even better laugh. We spent most of our conversations talking about cars, drag racing, the beach boys and the million cars we were gonna build together.

Our earliest recollection of Lar dates back to a puppy class in 2008. He was cradling one of his cherished golden retrievers, Jolly, at the close of a socialization session, just as we were departing with our own golden pup. She was quite the character and seemed to have been excused for the day for her mischief.

His love for that dog was boundless, and the affection and joy we experienced with our dogs over the ensuing years seemed divinely arranged, as if by a celestial conductor or maybe the canines above.

He will be dearly missed, but I am comforted by the thought that he is still around spiritually. We had conversations about such matters, and he always possessed a blend of worldly wisdom and celestial grace.

See you on the other side, Lars!

Hugs

Suz and Kris

My dad, Larry Emard, was a really fun dad. He taught me to love and enjoy building cars, camping, and music. In high school, I would race home every afternoon to build cars with my dad. He was patient, kind, funny, fun, and had an unmatched eye for design. We love you dad!