Sandwiched
Noblesville lost another one of its well-known, beloved residents last weekend.
I had to fight back tears Sunday morning when I heard the news that Larry Stork had passed away. I’m sure many of you knew him, as he touched the lives of thousands of people in Noblesville and beyond.
Larry served on the Noblesville Common Council for four years and on the Board of Public Works and Safety for 35 years. He worked for Firestone for 38 years and served in the National Guard from 1958 to 1964. And, most importantly, he was married for 57 years to a lovely lady and had two daughters and two grandchildren. One of those daughters was my best friend at not one, but two workplaces for a combined 11 years. We’re still good friends to this day.
I got to know Larry when I was the City of Noblesville Grant Coordinator. I’ll always remember his deep, booming voice saying “How’re you doin’, Kiddo?” or “What’s new?” He was genuinely interested in everyone and anyone he met, whether that meeting was planned or unexpected.
What always struck me the most about Larry is how well he listened. Listening is a challenging skill for most of us. We’re often thinking about how we’re going to respond instead of truly hearing what the other person is saying.
But not Larry. Whether I ran into him in city hall, in the frozen foods section at Aldi, or on the street at a Noblesville event, he always seemed to shut out the whole world and actually listen to me. He was so genuine that I always felt buoyant after seeing him. I’m sure everyone else felt the same way.
I loved how he carefully thought through every decision while serving on the Board of Works. I only attended some of those meetings, but at every one I saw Larry cautiously questioning the most important matters. He knew how his decision and those of the other two board members would affect the city. Larry put his heart and mind into each detail. That’s the kind of public servant I think we all would want in any government.
Even in retirement he was busy serving on this board and the Firestone Alumni Association. But he still found time to swing by my office to tell me about a grant possibility he saw or to ask me what was happening on the city’s grants team. Larry made me feel important, just like he made everyone feel important.
Lastly, he was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. When I was considering writing this particular column, a part of me wondered if it were appropriate. This column is supposed to focus on the ups and downs of being in the sandwich generation. Then I realized today’s piece relates more to this generation than anything – it talks about the hardest part, which is when a parent passes away.
I’ll be thinking of and praying for my friend and her family in the weeks and months ahead. It’s been an honor to know Larry and to learn from him about how we’re supposed to treat others. I’ll never forget him.