Lawrence F. (Larry) Nalepa of Vero Beach passed away suddenly in his home at Indian River Estates on June 11, 2024,at the age of 87.

Larry was born December 15, 1936, in Oil City, Pennsylvania,to Genevieve Walerych and Stanley Nalepa. He is predeceasedby his two younger sisters, Nancy Latos and Roberta Steele. He is survived by his wife, Sue Rasor Nalepa, his children, Nicholas Nalepa (Ping Ting) and Caroline Nalepa Phipps (Richard), his two grandchildren, Katherine Phipps Alvarez (Eduardo) and William Phipps, and a dynamic cohort of ten nieces and nephews and their families.

After graduation from St. Joseph High School, Larry joined the Navy to see the world. Despite this desire, the Navy kept him ashore as a medic and surgical assistant in Pensacola and San Diego. After his service, he enjoyed earning a BS in Education at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, and later, an MS at Barry University in Miami.

Larry married Kay Ordiway in 1961 and moved to South Florida, where they had two beautiful children, Nicholas and Caroline, before divorcing.

Larry met Sue Rasor on July 4, 1976, and they were married a little over a year later. They have remained soul mates for over 46 years.

Larry taught language arts at Miami Norland for twenty-five years. Upon retirement, he and Sue moved to Sebastian, FL, in the late 1980s and then to Vero Beach in time for the 2004 hurricanes.

In Indian River County, Larry worked at many places that tapped into his handyman skills, including Scotty’s Lumber, Don Smith Paint, and Sebastian River Medical Center. He volunteered at the Vero Beach Theater Guild for years, receiving Genie awards for set design and backstage work. He was an active member of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Vero Beach, where he was unofficially crowned the “Parking King.”

Larry will be remembered as a kind, charming, and witty friend to all. He recently wrote this: “Dogs, children, wives and friends are full of love. The Harry James orchestra and ballroom dancing are the most vertical fun. Gin martinis and scotch whiskey calm hectic behaviors.” And, in an example of his unique sense of humor, he said his only regret was that he lacked a police record of any kind.