A 35 year friend of mine passed away a couple of weeks ago. I just found out he was buried today. Larry Lemont Ross and I met in 1989, I believe. Larry was a favored and loved employee of Papa Joe Hendrick. He was fondly thought of by many Hendrick employees, both at Hendrick Motorsports, and the various Hendrick companies. For me, he was a very good friend for many years. Although we drifted apart some the last few years, there was never any doubt of the love between us. Most of my friends know Larry as the guy that worked at Hendrick Motorsports doing landscaping work, but that was just a side job he did for relaxation and to earn extra money. His real job was as a government Mediator, and with his fair and balanced demeanor, Larry was one of the best. He and I spent a lot of time together through the years, working side by side, traveling short distances to help Papa Joe, and doing all sorts of manual labor. When I was promoted and stopped working in landscaping, Larry was always sure to talk junk to me about having an office job, and asking me if I missed being out on the tractor with him. I sure did.

Larry and I had a side business for years. We would do almost any manual labor for a few dollars. Mostly yard work, but we cleaned up trash, picked up rocks, even sealed a log cabin once. I spent my money immediately, but Larry saved and invested his. He had two sons about 20 years apart, Calvin and Chris. He would always say his part-time money went to helping to pay for their college tuition, but I know he did far more than that. Together with his hard working and loving wife Barbara, the Rosses did a magnificent job raising and caring for their sons. Larry will be remembered for his honesty, his sage advice, and his absolute fearlessness. Most importantly, he was a good friend; one of the best. I will always miss you Larry Lemont. Until we meet again…

Larry’s obituary: http://burtheyfuneralservice.com/full_obit/1726256477611×890792705878392800