Lawrence "Larry" Porath

With loved ones by his side, in the home he built, Lawrence (Larry) P. Porath of Charlevoix, MI passed away on Thursday, December 22nd, 2016 after a courageous battle with cancer. He was 67 years old.

Larry was born on Sunday, July 17th, 1949 to Warren Sr. and Rosetta (Robinson) Porath of Chelsea, MI. Growing up in Chelsea, Larry was a good student and a stand out on his high school’s football, track and basketball teams, all the while working diligently for his father’s construction business.

After graduating Chelsea High School in 1966, Larry attended CMU, where he earned a Master’s Degree in Education. While in Mount Pleasant he met, and quickly married, the love of his life, Linda Hadwin, on August 16th, 1969.

After college, Larry taught school in Central Lake for 25 years, first in special education and then 4th -6th grades. He was also an assistant football coach for several years. .

In addition to teaching, Larry continued to work in construction part-time. When he retired from teaching in 1998, he went into construction, full time, with his son Jake. Together, they owned and operated L & J Porath Construction, Inc.

Larry’s free time was spent travelling with Linda, playing poker with friends, and spoiling all nine of his grandchildren. He will best be remembered by what he continually exhibited: selfless love, kindness and generosity that became the keystone in the foundation of many people’s lives. If actions are truly louder than words, this beloved man, though humble and unassuming by nature, lived his life at a deafening decibel level.

Larry is survived by his loving wife Linda, his younger sister Shelly (Paul) Stringer, his sons Lucas (Jane), Jake (Amanda) and Aaron (Holly) and his grandchildren: Kyle, Emma, Foster, Jackson, Calvin, Megan, Samuel, Aidan and Abigail.

A memorial picnic will be held on Saturday, July 8, 2017 at Depot Beach in Charlevoix from 12:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.

In lieu of donating to a charity, Larry’s family requests that you join us in honoring his memory through acts of kindness to your fellow man. Be slow to anger, be patient, help someone in need, put others before yourself, give all your love and strength to your family. In short, live like Larry.