Lawrence Albert Lark

1929 - 2021

Lawrence Albert Lark

April 2, 1929 - November 28, 2021

Lawrence Albert Lark, born April 2, 1929, died November 28, 2021. Dr. Lark, resident of The Villages, Florida, with his wife of 67 years, Barbara, was formerly a resident of Southeast Michigan. Dr. Lark was born in 1929 to Aloysius and Alice Lark in Detroit, Michigan, the first of nine children. Lawrence was educated in the Catholic school system, studying first at Our Lady of Good Counsel before graduating from De La Salle Collegiate High School in 1946. He worked a variety of jobs in Detroit while studying pre-dentistry at the University of Detroit. In 1951 he enlisted in the US Air Force in which he served primarily in Alaska as a weather analyst with a high security clearance. In Washington, DC, near the end of his tour he met a pretty young WAF from Gary, Indiana, who outranked him. He and Barbara were married in the Summer of 1954 and settled back in Detroit where Lawrence used the GI Bill to finance his studies at the University of Detroit School of Dentistry.

The first of their seven children was born in June 1955 and their young family became intertwined with Lawrence's significantly younger siblings, under Grandma Alice's care, while Barbara worked. In 1959, Lawrence graduated from Dental School and, with his three sons under the age of five, moved with his pregnant wife to begin his dental practice in the crossroads village of Ida, Michigan. Lawrence and Barbara were fully engaged in their community. All seven children attended Ida Public Schools and St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Lawrence was an active member of the Ida Civic Club and, despite a near-debilitating vocal stutter, was an enthusiastic singer of hymns and reader of scripture at Sunday mass. He served on the Monroe County Planning Commission and the Southeast Michigan Council of Governments (SEMCOG) in the 1960s and was on the committee that established Monroe County Community College. He was active in the Monroe County Democratic Party.

Although plagued by knee problems Lawrence was a keen lover of sport. He coached little league baseball for several years and rarely missed a high school football or basketball game for the years his children were in school. Attendance at Tigers and Pistons games were special family treats. He bowled, he golfed, he fished, he swam, he scuba dove, he biked, but those all paled compared to his love of sailing. Beginning with a Sailfish that could be flipped onto the roof of the Ford station wagon the Lark's had a succession of ever-gnarlier sailing machines. Larry and several sons received seamanship training from the Toledo Power Squadron and Larry went on to become certified in Celestial Navigation. The first serious sailboat was dubbed "A Lark," but the successive boats shared the "Grasshopper" nameplate. The ultimate Grasshopper was enjoyed as a pleasure cruiser, a fishing boat, and a capable racer on Lake Erie. The Lark family enjoyed a long tenure as members of North Cape Yacht Club in Lasalle, Michigan where Lawrence and Barbara served as Commodore and Lady in 1980. Several of their children and grandchildren have pursued competitive sailing at the collegiate level.

Professionally, Dr. Lark practiced primarily at his Ida, MI office from 1959 to 2003, a record-breaking career. He was a member of the American Dental Association, the Michigan Dental Association, the Detroit District Dental Society, and the Monroe County Dental Society. Lawrence was committed to continuing education in dentistry. He provided dental services for the children of seasonal migrant laborers in Monroe County. He earned a Fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry (FAGD) followed by a Master's (MAGD) in 2002. In pre-retirement, Lawrence served for a time as a staff dentist on a cruise ship in the Mediterranean and as a staff dentist for juvenile detainees in Adrian, MI. Three of his sons followed him into the dental field.

Dr. Lark was a lover of music and the performing arts. Jazz from Louis Armstrong to his favorite Dave Brubeck (Take Five), and Swing were favorites, as were the light operas of Gilbert and Sullivan, and the musicals Oliver and The Music Man. (Not to mention the efforts of his buddy Harmonica George.) He always had a song to share. He appreciated the range of cultures experienced in Detroit and the family was raised to embrace that diversity without fear. He and Barbara enjoyed several trips abroad to destinations including Spain, England, Greece, Central Europe, Mexico, and Australia.

Nearing retirement from his Ida practice Larry and Barbara moved for a time to Adrian, MI where they were briefly joined for seven months by Grandma Alice. They continued to enjoy family, travels and sailing after Alice returned to her daughters in the Southwest. After a frightening winter car accident they decided to leave Michigan and fully retire in The Villages, Florida. There, they were active with sport and hobbies. Larry became the Honorary Mayor of Mt Pleasant Villas and organized sports related gatherings for family and friends. Barbara will continue to live in The Villages.

Lawrence was the oldest of nine children followed by Robert (deceased), Richard (Shirley) Lark of Salem, SC, James Lark (deceased), Peter Lark of Eugene, OR, Barbara (deceased, Craig) Ahlstrand (deceased), Kathie (Richard) Zatarga of Scottsdale, AZ, Virginia (Harlan) Lark Moyer of Los Angeles, CA, and Christine Lark of Los Angeles, CA.

He and Barbara have seven children. Jeffrey (Donna Lark-Weiner) Lark of Redmond, WA, Dr. Matthew (Brigid Murphy-Lark) Lark of Sylvania, OH, Christopher (Phyllis Montri) Lark (deceased 2007), Dr. John (Claudia Hicks) Lark of Adrian, MI, Dr. Thomas (Christine Sanna) Lark of Boise, ID, Joseph (Emily Petrangelo) Lark of Monroe, Jeanne Lark (Baer) of Dearborn.

There are thirteen grandchildren, Lauren, Miles, Ariel, Meredith, Dr. Adam Lark, Elise, Caitlin, Jack, Hannah, Quincee, Madeline, Joe and Alexis. There are also six great grandchildren, Leo, Solomon, Sagan, Aria, Madeline and Emma.

Services - A small luncheon will be held in the Villages to celebrate Larry's life. Details to follow. A memorial will be held in Michigan next summer and his ashes will be spread in his favorite spot on Lake Erie.

In lieu of flowers the family is requesting donations to be sent to Doctors Without Borders and North Cape Yacht Club Junior Sailing Program.