Remembering Larry Rose on Memorial Day.

Beyond the BBQs and parties, Memorial Day is also a time for our community to honor the memory of Larry Rose. Some families may only recognize the name from the plaque and flagpole in the ballfield (which is named Larry’s Field in his honor). But he was a native son of Lake Lucille who lost his life serving our country.

As Ed Jeffs wrote in his Lake Lucille history, Larry was a member of the 101st Airborne “Screaming Eagles” in the Vietnam war. He was only 20 years old when he was killed in action on June 10, 1968.

Doug Davidson, another Lake Lucille resident at that time who is now living in Hollis, NH, says that Larry was, “A dear pal, friend, and neighbor, who was a big brother to many of us growing up. Larry never made his 21st birthday, yet we shall never forget him, and how he looked after many of us while growing up. Our community of Lake Lucille, both today and from the past, still mourns and remembers.”

Larry, who grew up at 5 Brook Lane, was the brother of Glenn Rose and the son of Oliver and Betty Rose. The flag pole memorial was erected later in 1968. On special occasions, Fred Siegriest used it to raise an American flag that had been flown over the Capitol building in Washington D.C. And for Memorial Day in 2012, the LLPOA board presented that flag to Eileen and Glenn to commemorate Larry’s bravery.

For more information on the Larry rose Memorial, see Ed’s history writeup.