"Larry was a most engaging and wonderful person. His positive attitude inspired me and many others I am sure. He was always interested in others and his good nature was so infectious. Even when he was out for his heart he came back and encouraged oers get checked. He always had several irons in e fire. The Dixie Highway project should be published as a genuine piece on Americana. I'm alot richer for having known him. Rest in bliss my friend Peace, Jim"
In loving memory of
Lawrence Offner
November 20, 1946 - February 15, 2011
Offner, Lawrence Joseph Jr. (Larry), passed away on Feb. 15, 2011 in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was born November 20, 1946 in St. Louis, MO to Audre June and Lawrence Joseph Offner Sr. Larry graduated from Chaminade College Preparatory in 1964 and Saint Louis University in 1968 where he was a member of the Alpha Delta Gamma fraternity. He graduated from the Marine Corps Officer Candidate School in Quantico, VA and received his commission in 1969. He served as a Second Lieutenant in Da Nang and received the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry. He was awarded the Purple Heart for injuries sustained and discharged honorably in 1971. Afterwards, he enrolled in law school at Southwestern University in Los Angeles, CA where he received a J.D. in 1976. Larry had a law office in Long Beach, CA and specialized in family law. He was married to Elsa Rondon, with whom he had two children, Lauren E. Offner and Lawrence J. Offner III. In 2001, he received a Master’s degree in Journalism from the University of Iowa. For the remainder of his career he worked as a free lance writer, taught journalism at community colleges and served as editor of the Daily Star Journal in Warrensburg, Missouri and the Stuart News in Stuart, Florida. Larry was a passionate writer who never ran out of things to write about and enjoyed sharing stories of little known facts about places and people from 19th and 20th century America. His article, "The Butch O'Hare Story,” (St. Louis Magazine 2005), highlighted the war hero's connection to St. Louis and noted the man never lived in Chicago. He was a loving father to Lauren and Larry III, dear brother of Thomas C. (Jan) Offner, Jerome A. (Kathleen) Offner, Dennis J. Offner, Mary E. Offner, Nancy F. (Michael) Downes, Anne K. Offner, and Amy E. (Jeff) Call; dear uncle, brother-in-law, cousin and dear friend.
Memorial service at Fred Hunter's Funeral Home, Hollywood, Florida on Thursday, Feb 24, 2011 from 3:00 -7:00 pm. Funeral on Friday at 11:00 a.m. at St. Theresa Little Flower Catholic Church,1805 Pierce Street, in Hollywood, Florida.
Tributes
"He was a maniac. In the best possible way. So funny, so wise, and so funny again. Bless him. Mark Burger"