Larry William Karst

Larry was born in Orlando on April 20, 1950 to Loyd and Gladys (Jones) Karst. His love of boating and fishing began at a young age. His fondest memories are from the times he spent with his family at Sebastian Inlet as a child. Camping and water skiing at Lake Sheen on the Butler Chain of Lakes was a favorite pastime. It was on Stark Lake in Ocoee where he passed on his fishing skills to his daughters by teaching them to use bread balls as bait, cast far into the lake, and then patiently wait for the red and white bobber to sink and finally reel in the prize when a bream set the hook.

Numerous stories can be told of his fishing trips over the years to Chokoloskee and North Captiva Island. His weekend fish camp getaway, “The Fish House”, located on a canal in Edgewater, was a place for him and his yellow labrador retriever, Bristol, to unwind. His passion for the outdoors didn't end with fishing and boating as he was an avid hunter. He looked forward to hunting at his camp in Georgia with his buddies each year.

Nothing else brought more joy in his life than spending time with his three grandchildren. Drawing out hysterical laughter from them was always his objective with tickle fights, silly jokes, and crazy antics. Practical jokes and pranks were not only reserved for the grandkids. His most famous stunt involved hiding a very realistic looking rubber snake in any location that would startle his unsuspecting victim.

Larry believed in order to play hard you had to work hard and he did both. He earned a living working in the Grove Management Industry for the family business, Karst Inc., for over 40 years, retiring as President of the company in 2011. He was also co-owner of AAA Mobile Storage, a boat and RV storage facility, until 2011.

Larry was a very thoughtful individual who went out of his way to help family and friends. Always paying close attention to others needs and acting to fulfill that need. In turn, he had a strong bond with many close friends. Larry will be remembered for his huge heart and zest for life unlike any other.

Larry was preceded by his mother, Gladys Karst. He is survived by his father, Loyd Karst; brother, Buddy Karst, and sisters, Bonnie Wells, Debby McCall, and June Stienstra; daughters, Kelli Gray and Lisa Love; grandchildren, Skyler Love, Christopher Gray, and Kaitlynn Gray; as well as five nieces and three nephews.

A barbeque cookout to honor Larry and celebrate his life is to be held at his father’s house in Umatilla for family and friends at noon on October 27th, 2012, casual attire

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