Larry Fredrick Falk of Ridgway died peacefully on April 27, after a brief illness.
Larry was born on Feb. 8, 1949 in Dearborn, MI, the only child of Ernest Falk Jr. and Joyce Howard. He spent the first two years of his life in Port Huron, MI, and then the family moved to Los Angeles where he spent the rest of his childhood. He attended Taft High School in Woodland Hills, CA. Larry had fond memories of his teen years, riding his motorcycle barefoot and shirtless to the beach, and working in a gas station with his buddies.
Seeking adventure, Larry enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam from 1968-1969 as a senior air traffic control specialist, and finished his Army service in 1971.
Larry spent some time after the war healing himself, attending college at Humbolt State in northern California and starting work as a carpenter. He built tract houses in Los Angeles, before moving to Camp Nelson in the Central Sierra Nevada where he lived for ten years and worked as a carpenter. It was there that he met his lifelong friends: Cathy Davis, Alicia Nowicki, Diane Jetter and Chris and John Parker-Kennedy.
With his friends’ encouragement, he decided to complete his degree, attending California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, earning his bachelor of science degree in environmental and systematic biology in 1986. He also earned a teaching credential in science and math.
While in college he developed the rare condition Guillain-Barre Syndrome, which led to two months of paralysis and ventilator support, from which he fully recovered. During that time he met Bryan Jetter, who became his dear lifelong friend. He went on to teach middle school math and science in California, which he enjoyed, though it was challenging. He also taught drafting, wood shop and construction technology and construction management in both California and Alaska.
A case of wanderlust led him to Alaska. He lived in Anchorage for five years, working summers in Denali National Park where he met his wife, Abigail. Shortly after, they did a big backpacking trip around Southeast Asia, which cemented their relationship. They returned for four years to California, where Larry worked as a project manager in construction. They next moved to Seattle for Abigail to attend medical school and Larry worked as a project manager there as well. Four years later, in 2004, they moved to Ridgway, Colorado, where Larry worked as a project manager. For the last twelve years he was owner and operator of Cabinet-Works & Design Company.
Larry was an incredibly adventurous person, and was always planning his next trip. When he was younger he skied across the Sierra Nevada several times, snow camped, loved to backpack and get lost on purpose – though he did have an amazing sense of direction. Larry and Abigail traveled extensively to Southeast Asia, Turkey, Mexico and more. In recent years he turned his work van into a camper van, and the family spent many happy times camping throughout the Southwest.
Larry was incredibly capable. He could build or fix anything, troubleshoot any problem. He was well-versed in a wide range of topics, and was especially passionate about protecting the environment. He was also passionate about being a great dad to his son, Birch, always present and involved as a dad, attending all of his sports practices and games. The family took many trips together.
He is survived by his wife Abigail and son Birch, as well as his sister-in-law Kate Seaver, brother-in-law David Seaver, and parents-in-law Barbara and Howard Seaver, all of Vermont.
Larry normally enjoyed excellent health, and was fit and agile for his age but he was diagnosed with a very aggressive bladder cancer shortly before his death.
A celebration of Larry’s life will be held on July 10 at the Group Event Facility at the Pa Co Chu Puk entrance of Ridgway State Park. Please arrive at 10:30 a.m.
