Larry Lewis

Larry Lewis, 71, of Forest, VA died peacefully on October 31, 2021.  He was the loving husband of Susan Lewis for nearly 50 years.

Larry was born on September 7th, 1950, in Suffolk, VA, a son of the late Edward Lee and Nellie Cox Lewis. Later, the family relocated to Lynchburg, VA. Larry attended and graduated from Brookville High School in 1968, and he supported them for remainder of his life. In 1996, he created and maintained their high school website, and was honored at a football game with “Larry Lewis Night” – A tribute to his contributions in the Brookville community.

Larry worked as a systems analyst and computer programmer for Babcock & Wilcock, Framatome, & Areva, where he had a very long and successful career.  Larry was a member of Heritage Baptist Church, where he and Susan attended since 1983.  He was an avid Ham Radio operator (WB4JBJ / K4LYL), and an active member of the American Relay Radio League.  He enjoyed learning about electronics, and he built and maintained the Ham Radio repeater station atop Thaxton Mountain.

Larry enjoyed bowling and was a member of several local bowling leagues during the 70’s and 80’s. He also served as an administrator and created a computer-aided system to keep scores and records for the league. Larry also enjoyed music, playing the piano and singing bass in a barbershop quartet. His favorite band was the Beatles, although he also enjoyed a large variety of music. He also worked as a sound engineer for several local bands. Larry also enjoyed working on cars and racing his blue Chevy Chevelle in the 70’s.  He later became a fan of Volkswagens, especially the Rabbit.  He remained a Volkswagen man until the end.

Larry was dedicated to his family and enjoyed spending time with them. He liked to go on family vacations, and his favorite place was the beach.  He also enjoyed spending time with his two grandsons, Zack, and Ryan.  He always supported them in sports or other activities, even when he had to travel to another state to see them. Larry also enjoyed teaching his family about electronics and technology, and they have learned a lot from him over the years.

Larry was a genuinely kind and caring person, who would always offer to help or share his knowledge with others. He never wanted anything in return for his work, and he was always generous with his time and abilities. Larry was loved and appreciated by his entire family, and they will miss him dearly. He trusted in Jesus Christ as his savior, and therefore we can have hope that we will see him again one day!

In addition to his wife, Larry is survived by his daughter, Jennifer Arnold (Fordys) of Lynchburg; his grandchildren Zack and Ryan Arnold of Lynchburg; his brothers, Keith Lewis of Lynchburg, and Pat Lewis of Chesapeake; and his brother-in-law Bert Rowland (Brenda) also of Lynchburg.  He is also survived by many nieces and nephews on both sides of his family. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his older brother Eddie Lewis.

The family will receive friends from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm on Wednesday, November 3rd, 2021, at Tharp Funeral Home in Lynchburg. A funeral service will be conducted on Thursday, November 4th, 2021, at 11:00 am at Heritage Baptist Church, with Pastor Rodney Kidd officiating. A private burial will be held at Fort Hill Memorial Park after the service.

Tharp Funeral Home & Crematory, Lynchburg, is assisting the family.