Colonel Willis Francis "Bill" Larrabee

Larrabee, Colonel Willis Francis "Bill"

Colonel Willis Francis "Bill" Larrabee, U.S. Army, retired, formerly of Elmira, NY, died at his home on Amelia Island, FL on Sunday, July 13, 2014. Born on December 12, 1942 he was the eldest of four children born to Isabelle Jean Lisi Larrabee and the late Willis I. Larrabee. Mr. Larrabee graduated from the University of Scranton, Scranton, PA, where he received a BS in Accounting in 1964. He earned his MS in Business Education from Temple University, Philadelphia, PA in 1972. Bill was commissioned in the United States Army Infantry, July, 1964. His military schooling included Basic and Advanced Officer courses, Airborne and Ranger schools, Special Forces Officer courses, the Command and General Staff College, and the Army War College. Colonel Larrabee served two tours in Korea and two in Viet Nam. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with V Device and two Oak Leaf Clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Air Medal with numeral 9, Army Commendation Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Navy Commendation Medal with V Device, Air Force Commendation Medal, the Combat and Expert Infantry Badges, Master Parachutist Badge, Ranger Tab, Army General Staff Identification Badge, The Legion of Merit first Oak Leaf Cluster, Order of National Security Merit, SAMIL Medal from the Republic of Korea and various foreign awards. Upon retirement from the Army, he worked as a contract consultant with the Department of Defense in Washington, DC. From 1997 to 2000 he was President and General Manager of The International Trust Company Bank of Liberia, West Africa. Until present time, he consulted for The Department of Home Land Security and FEMA as ICF Regional Coordinator and Radiological Emergency Preparedness Program DHS-FEMA Region IV. Bill is survived by his wife of 47 years, Rita Leonhardt Larrabee, originally of Cherryville, NC; their daughters, Brooke Larrabee of Pinehurst, NC, and Paige Larrabee McCullough (David) of Marietta, GA; his mother, Mrs. Isabelle Larrabee of Elmira, NY; three grandchildren, Bain, Carter and Ellie McCullough of Marietta, GA; sister, Theresa Larrabee Creed (Ed) of Solano Beach, CA; brothers, Jerry Larrabee (Nancy) of Horseheads, NY, and Joe Larrabee (Rico Rapasora) of Hadley, NY. His family will receive friends on Wednesday, July 16 from 5PM-7PM at Oxley - Heard Funeral Home, Fernandina Beach, FL. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12:00 noon on Thursday July 17 at St. Michael's Catholic Church, Fernandina Beach, FL with Father Jose Kallukalum, Celebrant. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the United Cerebral Palsy Association and/or the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Please view his Life Legacy and leave your condolence messages at www.oxleyheard.com