Henry B. Larzelere

Dr. Henry B. Larzelere passed away at his home in Virginia Beach on Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2010. He was the son of the late Benton and Reba Mae (Van Fleet) Larzelere.

Dr. Larzelere was born in Geneva, N.Y., on Dec. 18, 1916, and was raised in Flint, Mich. He began his college education by attending the local junior college of his hometown, later transferring to Northwestern University. He paid his way through medical school by winning the senior scholarship of the Fisher Body Craftman's Guild in 1936. After graduating from Northwestern Medical School, he served his internship and residency at Hurley Hospital in Flint, Mich., and received fellowships in surgery from the University of Michigan Graduate School, Hahnemann Hospital and New England Deaconess Hospital.

Dr. Lazelere joined the Army Medical Corps and served in the European theater during World War II. After being honorably discharged, he continued his military service by joining the Army Reserve and functioned as both an instructor and practicing physician. He was a member of the Reserve Officers Association and other military organizations. During his 36 years in the military, he twice received the Meritorious Service Award, retiring at the rank of Colonel.

During his career, he held positions as chief of surgery, medical director of chest diseases and head of chest surgery in Philadelphia. He also received appointments as instructor of chest surgery at Temple University Medical School. The physician developed innovative surgical instruments and techniques, resulting in several patents, and pioneered in the early days of lung transplants and heart surgery. He published in the Journal of Thoracic Surgery and other professional literature. Dr. Larzelere was a diplomat, board certified surgeon in both thoracic and general surgery. He was a founding member of both the Thoracic Surgical Society and the American Trauma Society, a member of the International College of Surgeons and other professional organizations. Dr. Larzelere later developed a medical practice in Lynchburg and continued to practice medicine until his retirement in 1994.

The surgeon was a member of the Lion's Club, the Rotary, the John Birch Society and other civic associations. The surgeon's interests included history and politics, as evidenced in his many letters to the editor. His hobbies were hunting, fishing and ice-skating. He won numerous awards in college for the latter and during the winter kept a pair of ice skates in his car in anticipation of finding a frozen lake or pond.

Dr. Larzelere is survived by his wife of 56 years, Marie Teresa (Gorman) Larzelere; his children, Loretta Larzelere, Mary Vinet and husband, Christopher, Genevieve Shober, John Larzelere and wife, Jane, and Annette Fitzgerald and husband, Robert; his nephew, Rory O'Connor, and wife, Karen; his grandchildren, Brian, Geoffrey and Austin Glass, Stephen Montague, Christen Shober, Jay Cooledge, Rebecca, Sarah, Charles, Audrey and Matthew Larzelere and Katharine, Thomas, Michael and Elizabeth Fitzgerald; and his great-nephews and great-niece, Darren, Ryan, Timothy and Rhiannon O'Connor. Additional family members include his great-grandson, Henry Glass, and his great-grandnephews, Dillon, Logan and Braeden O'Connor. He is also survived by a sister-in-law, Lucielle Larzelere, and her daughters, Jude Larzelere, Jan Marie Martell and Margie Larzelere.

Friends may meet with the family from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Feb. 1, 2010, at Tharp Funeral Home. A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2010, at Holy Cross Catholic Church, after which there is a reception in the commons. The burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery on Bedford Avenue.

Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, is assisting the family, 434-237-9424.