Larry Faust

1939 - 2025

Larry Faust, 86, died peacefully last week after a significant fall at his home in Chilhowie, VA. Larry was comfortable during his final days, conscious and cutting up with family in the ICU before transitioning to Hospice care. Just the week before he was mail ordering trees for his beloved mountain "farm," complaining about his noisy goat, and hoping to buy a mule.

Larry was born in Winston-Salem, NC to Stuart Faust and Hazel Eads Faust. He is survived by his children Sally Edwards (Jim) of Raleigh NC, Stephen Faust (Andrea) of Union Grove NC, grandson Hunter Faust (Anya) of Damascus VA, sister-in-law Margaret Faust of Raleigh, and many extended family members. All of us gained his love of the outdoors. He was predeceased by former wife Ann Goodson Faust, son Greg Faust, daughter Nancy Faust and brother Rick Faust.

Larry graduated from RJ Reynolds High School in 1957, where somehow between hunting and fishing, he was a strong student and football player. Larry went on to earn a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from NC State University in 1961. That summer, he married his high school girlfriend Ann and they moved to Germany, where Larry was stationed in the US Army.

They moved back to Winston-Salem in 1964 with son Greg in tow, and Sally on the way. Larry worked for Duke Power and JMP before co-founding Heat Transfer Sales in 1969 and moving the family to Raleigh, where he led engineering and sales of commercial HVAC systems for the eastern part of the state. He and his partners sold the company around 1990, at which point Larry retired to pursue a full-time life as an avid outdoorsman, hunter, fisherman, and conservationist. Eventually, he moved from Raleigh to eastern NC to be closer to the land and farther from Triangle traffic.

In 2022, Larry fulfilled a dream and moved to a beautiful rolling property in southwest Virginia, near the new home of his grandson, Hunter. Together they established "Faust Farm" and spent countless hours watching wildlife, planting trees, and riding in the side-by-side with dogs Maude and Lil'Bit.

Larry loved to watch Wolfpack sports, talk about the weather, and tell tall tales. Thankfully long-distance charges are a thing of the past because Larry kept in close touch daily with friends down east, hunting buddies, business associates, and his patient and loving family. What a character.

A graveside service celebrating Larry's life will be held on January 17 at noon at Salem Cemetery in Winston-Salem NC. Anyone wishing to honor his memory with a gift, please consider the conservation organization Ducks Unlimited.