Lawrence Carl Ladegast, Sr.

Lawrence "Larry" Carl Ladegast, Sr. passed into eternal life on July 10, 2020. He was born in Muskegon, Michigan on May 10, 1924. He retired from Motors Insurance Company (GM) in 1983 after more than 25 years of service. From that time on, he worked at Tommy's Body Shop until the age of 93. He and his wife, Dorothy, spent much of their retirement wintering in Texas and traveling. They celebrated 75 years of marriage on March 14, 2019.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy, Mary Ann Troyanowski, Dot's sister whom they raised, 5 siblings and his parents.
Larry became a Catholic late in life, loved his church, St. Patrick Catholic Parish, and the many friends he and Dot enjoyed. A special thanks to our family friend, Doreen DeGeare, for her love and support all these years. He was a World War II veteran and was grateful to travel to Washington, DC on an Honor Flight in 2016.
He was an adventurer who loved traveling including driving a 5th-wheel to Alaska for 3 months. He was a mechanical genius and could break down an engine blindfolded. A self-taught expert harmonica player, he could bring you to tears with his version of, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry." Like Dot, he took great pleasure that his kids were musical and one word could trigger everyone to break out in the same song! An engaging storyteller, you could be assured all his stories were mostly true. He was a master chef at vegetable soup-making (no lima beans or barley, thank you). He would spend a small fortune on the ingredients but wash out Ziploc bags to save money. Known all over Middletown as a collector/inventor extraordinaire, you could find him on junk day, stooped over a trash heap collecting his treasures to barter, reinvent or sell. When his grandchildren were young, they were captivated by his enthusiasm for a myriad of endless inventions and activities usually none that their parents would approve. Each one will have their own special memories of him forever.
Larry was a rough and tough paper tiger who said little until it was time to pick up the pieces for family, friends and even strangers. He loved to see a need and fill it. He told everyone he was most grateful to be able to take care of Dot before she passed and only wanted to see her again.
He is survived by his 6 children: Larry Ladegast, Jr (Beverly), Pat Colley (Bill), Susan Hieb (Kenny), Gregg Ladegast (Nancy), Randy Ladegast (Cindy) and Mary Margaret Sutherland (Barry); 14 grandchildren: Larry Ladegast, III, Karl Ladegast, Kelly Rice, Chris Hickman, Patrick Colley, Missy Dowell, Kenny Hieb, Jr., Paul Hieb, Brent Ladegast, Ashley Barnett, Randy Ladegast, Christina Grane, Katie Sutherland, Krista Sutherland, and 19 great grandchildren.
Visitation will be held at Newcomer Funeral Home, 235 Juneau Drive, Louisville, KY 40243 on Wednesday, July 15, 2020 from 3:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. with a service at 6:00 p.m. A private graveside service will follow at Middletown Historical Cemetery with the Army and VFW Post 1170 providing military honors. Covid-19 state guidelines will be followed. A mask is required and social-distancing will be practiced.
Expressions of sympathy may be made to St. Mary's Center.