Larry Townsend DePriest

Larry Townsend DePriest of Dahlonega passed away at the age of 78 on Saturday, December 1 following a brief hospitalization. An alumnus of both the University of Tennessee and the University of Pittsburgh and a veteran of the US Air Force, Larry retired from a career as a hospital administrator in 2006. He was a member of Dahlonega United Methodist Church and Rotary International, where he was recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow. He also believed strongly in outreach initiatives like Community Helping Place, where he had been a regular volunteer.

Larry was the kind of man you would notice in any crowd, and not just because he stood 6 feet 5 inches tall. He had a unique combination of gravitas and humorous self-deprecation that endeared him to his co-workers, family and friends. Larry was a living example of the concept of servant leadership, believing that his role in any organization was to do what was necessary to enable others to succeed. He was unwavering in his principles, sometimes to his personal detriment, but his commitment to what he believed was right and good was foundational to both his professional and personal life.

His Tennessee upbringing helped Larry develop a practical and frugal approach to life’s problems. .A little-known fact about Larry was that he had an uncanny ability to fix almost anything around the house using a coat hanger. He loved to fish, but disliked eating fish, a quirk which puzzled many people over the years. While he would claim no deep expertise in any area, his grandchildren referred to him as “The Wizard” because he was always handy with a pertinent fact.

Larry is survived by his wife of 57 years, Janice, his daughter Karen and son Michael, and six grandchildren, along with his sisters Linda and Cindy and brothers Douglas and Edward. The family requests in lieu of flowers that you consider making a donation to the Dahlonega United Methodist Church in Larry’s name.