In Memory

Larry Guilliatt

Date Of Birth: 07-18-1946
Date Deceased: 12-17-2020
Age at Death: 74
Cause of Death: Unknown
Classmate City: Ocean Shores
Classmate State: WA
Classmate Country: USA
Was a Veteran: Yes Navy
Survived By: Son David, daughter Michelle and son John; three grandchildren, one great grandchild

From long-time friend, Bob Kearns.  

Larry Guilliatt passed away yesterday morning (12/17/20) at his home in Ocean Shores. He was found by a good friend who came by to pick him up for a planned event. Larry was my "bestest" friend, as Ginger LaBrie said when I gave her the sad news. We lived in the same hood, went into the Navy together, served in different areas of Vietnam at the same time, graduated from Western Washington University in Visual Communications, were partners in a graphic design business, watched our families grow and prosper, and helped each other throughout our lives. We communicated about this and that on an almost daily basis by text, email and/or phone. We have called each other Bro since we were in our 20s. The waters run very deep between us. Larry was a character come to life. He had the ability to make anyone feel at ease with his great sense of humor and warm, welcoming way. Many will remember that Larry had his beginnings in commercial art as the staff artist on the Highline HS newspaper. His professional life as a designer was filled with awards and kudos from his peers and clients in every field imaginable. For many years, Larry taught graphic design and production part-time at Highline Community College and was still seated on the Advisory Board. Larry's love of automobiles and all things gasoline-powered is renowned. At the last count, he was approaching past or present ownership of 100 vehicles of every kind during his life: scooters, motorcycles, mini-cars, muscle cars, trucks, vans, etc. He was actively running a small home-based business called Hot Rod Larry's, which was a platform for his wonderful custom artwork, featuring vintage automobiles and motorcycles. Most of the art was transferred to T-shirts, but he was working on an entire line and his brilliant artwork had recently caught the attention of a national distributor who wanted to franchise it. In 2017, Larry purchased a new home in Ocean Shores - he loved living close to the ocean and would always brag about how much sunnier it was there than in Seattle. When he moved there, I sent him a CD of the Beach Boys greatest hits and he started each and every day listening to the great California surfer music of our youth. [In 1964, Larry was the first on our block with a skateboard, which he made by hand. He and Walt Perkins (Mt. Rainier grad) and I used to scare the daylights out of pedestrians on the sidewalks of Seattle when we whizzed by on our boards.] Larry was in excellent health, constantly worked on his home addition projects, rode his bicycle every day and enjoyed going to the beach regularly for clam digging with his friends and relatives. He was very happy with how things were going in his life and looked forward to every day with expectation and optimism. Larry often remarked on how great our 50th reunion was, and how he really enjoyed the after-reunion events with his renewed friends. He will be sorely missed by all of us. We had made plans to meet again soon. That meeting has been postponed until further notice. 
 



 
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12/18/20 07:33 PM #1    

Nancy Hannon (Jorgensen)

I can hardly find words to write expressing how I feel reading your meaningful feelings about the loss of Larry !   He was always a kind gentle soul and enjoyed having him as a classmate!  We spoke many times and I always felt he would go on to accomplish many things!  Larry will be sincerely  missed ! Nancy Hannon Jorgensen 


12/18/20 08:12 PM #2    

Robert Boice

I am really sorry to hear about Larry's passing. My wife and I were invited to a get together a while back, hosted by Larry and friends of our class and it was a wonderful time. Larry was a really kind genuine person and a real talented guy.  What a great artist he was. I was looking forward to more visits with the people at the get together.  He will be missed. My condolences to his family.  That was a really great summation of Larry's life, Bob Kearns. My condolence to you, Bob for the loss of your lifetime friend.


12/18/20 09:23 PM #3    

Sam Cheyne

Larry was a great person and his smile and determination were some of his best traits.  I believe he and Iwere in Vietnam at the same time.  Amen we both made in back alive and well.  God bless him and his family.  You will be missed.


12/19/20 03:36 PM #4    

Irene Torkelson

Larry was an amazing artist and wit who will be sorely missed.  Rest In Peace.  Condolences to his family and friends, especially Bob Kearns.  Fond memories of the two of you and your many adventures and schemes.


12/20/20 02:07 PM #5    

Greg Fuller (Fuller)

We will so miss that happy little Nebraskan who moved in down by the Kearns near old North Hill Elementary. There, lines all the way from Missouri and Nebraska sparked whats been fondly called the "Bob and Larry Show", a lifelong brotherhood one rarely sees anymore. Thanks to Bob, we got reacquainted with Larry after our wonderful 50th Highline Reunion. He was that same kid I remembered who did cartoons and illustrations as "Guilliatt Prod.", the staff artist for The High Lines. Who knew he'd stick with art forever. Larry was smart, funny, and creative. But I learned he was also tenacious, resilient, and courageous. Life had gut punched him a few. But still, he had that twinkle in his eyes, that trademark smile, and an open, generous heart.

Out of the blue once he sent me the May 7, 1965 school paper with Tom Mitchell's front page pictures of me, Kathy, Narda, and Don as well as my brilliant neighbor Akerman. It was the original, not a copy! Who even keeps such things? Right? And for soooo long. Only the most loyal of Pirates I'd say.

After the reunion, he left Washington for a bit, but soon we were pleased to hear he'd returned. Off he went to the ocean. Perfect. Nebraska farm boy turned beach comber artist.

We'd planned to bring the RV down. He had a place next to the house. We'd hear the ocean at night. We'd meet Mr. D his 18 pound guard cat who like to watch video and drool on Larry's iPad. Perhaps he could do some line art re our '67 Mustang. I love my Hot Rod Larry's BadHarleySSBT12 Beefy Tee shirts: the black and white one for casual, and the brightly colored one for dressup. So many possibilities after that last party.

Shorty though the virus made things tough. Then other stuff came up. Grays Harbor County shut down. So we were recently delighted to get Larry's 2020 Christmas Card art that's labeled "created in a COVID-19 lockdown using quarintined forced labor".

But now this horrible ending to an already miserable year. Feels like we just been robbed. I'm sure there are many of us, not just Bob, who will never walk a beach again without some heartache for Larr. I keep this fantasy about him, standing on the North Jetty, watching the combers roll in pink from the sunset. And Kipling's "Seal Lullaby" comes to mind:
Oh! hush thee, my baby, the night is behind us
And black are the waters that sparkled so green
Etc., etc.

Sleep well buddy.

Greg

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