Lawrence Lahm

Lawrence "Larry" Lahm passed away on Oct. 6, 2011, at the age of 92. Born on May 9, 1919, in Washington, D.C., Larry was the son of Major Gen. Frank P. Lahm and Gertrude Jenner Lahm, both of Mansfield, Ohio. His father was one of the two first U.S. military airplane pilots trained by Wilbur Wright in 1909. Growing up in a military family, Larry made frequent changes in residence. His greatest childhood memories were pitching to Babe Ruth and having Charles Lindbergh and Will Rogers come to his home. His high school years were spent in Paris, France. After a year at Yale University, he entered West Point, following in his father's footsteps. By this time he was widely traveled and was fluent in French. Larry graduated in 1942, shortly after the United States entered World War II. During the next 22 years, his assignments took him all around the U.S. and to Panama, Ecuador, Germany, Vietnam and Peru. He attended the Army Language School in Monterey, Calif., where he became a fluent Spanish speaker. In 1942, he married Eleanor Margaret Haskell of Albany, N.Y. Their five children were all born in different places, two overseas. A four-year Reserve Officer Training Corps assignment at Oregon State University starting in 1956 sold the family on Corvallis, where they settled after Army life. Larry retired in 1964 with the grade of Colonel, having had command assignments at company and battalion level and staff jobs from company to theater command level. His only regret was that, despite his frequent requests for transfer, he never commanded troops in combat, despite serving during World War II, the Korean War and the war in Vietnam. In civilian life, Larry went into academics and taught political science and French at Oregon State. Always looking for new challenges, he shifted into real estate sales, real estate appraisal, property management and real estate development. He was president of the Rotary Club of Greater Corvallis in 1983 and 1984. He also was a member of the Benton County Foundation, the Republican Party, Toastmasters and several social and athletic clubs in Corvallis. As a boy in France, he became an Eagle Scout. For many years he remained active in the Boy Scout program, and was a Scoutmaster for troops in Germany, Colorado and Oregon. In high school, Larry was on the football, basketball and soccer teams. He made the boxing team at Yale, and was on the varsity boxing team at West Point for all four years. He also played soccer at the Point. After college, he played golf and tennis. Tennis was a great passion in Larry's life. Taught the game by his mother at an early age, he continued to play until a month before his passing. For close to 40 years, Larry, Ken Hedburg, Lou Krakauer and Ed Trione played tennis every Friday afternoon. In more recent years, Larry played every week against Ken Hedburg or Al Haunold. These were his most favorite days. He also loved to travel and hike, and was a voracious reader. He was preceded in death by his wife of 37 years, Eleanor Margaret Haskell Lahm; and his sister, Barbara Lahm McMahon. He is survived by his children, Frank Purdy Lahm II and his wife, Joan, of Rapid City, S.D., Lawrence Lahm Jr. and his wife, Gail, of New Lenox, Ill., Arthur Haskell Lahm of Eugene, Laura Lahm Evenson and her husband, David, of Corvallis, and Sarah Lahm of Corvallis; grandchildren Bridget Lahm, Frank Lahm III, Nicholas Lyman, Lawrence Lahm III, Alyssa Lahm, Eric Evenson, Sarah Evenson and Britta Evenson; and many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his longtime companion, Mary DeCanter; and sister-in-law, Sally Haskell Crumme. Col. Lahm lived his life following the West Point creed of Duty, Honor and Country. He was an officer and a gentleman. A memorial service and celebration of his life will take place at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11, at St. Mary's Catholic Church, followed by a military burial at St. Mary's Cemetery. Memorial donations can be directed to McHenry Funeral Home for either Benton Hospice Service or the Benton County Foundation.

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Lawrence Lahm

May 9, 1919 - October 6, 2011