Larry P. Cameron

By: Donnie Joe Dampier

Larry Paul Cameron died on July 13, 2019, at age 81. Unless the reader of this “Life Well Lived” tribute has long standing connections to Nicholas County, and the small town of Carlisle, Kentucky, especially the independent Carlisle city school district; and, more specially to Carlisle High School, it is likely that Larry’s name may not “ring a bell,” since, like most of us, he never achieved national fame. Or, did he? As a long standing public school science teacher and coach, especially of football, his positive influence was spread over a wide swath of students, springing from the roots of his Carlisle, Kentucky school days to Amelia, Ohio to the Clearwater area of the Florida Gulf Coast! Most teachers never fully realize the multitudes of student’s lives they touch.

“As the Carlisle School Bell Tolled, a New Beginning was Signaled… “

“In September of 1943 first-grade teacher Mary Ann Rogers warmly welcomed 44 anxious youngsters to begin the 1943-44 school-year at the Carlisle City School. These students would form the nucleus of the eventual graduating Class of 1955.” These were very anxious times as America was in the midst of World War II. Of the initial 44 who entered first grade together in 1943, there were “The 13 Originals” who would complete the twelve-year “Sentimental Journey” to graduate together, and form the foundation of the 19-member Carlisle High School Class of 1955.”

From: Finding The Fifties (Published 2005), by Donnie Joe Dampier.

Two of those classmates were Larry Cameron and yours truly. Larry and I would later admit to “having our first crush on the opposite sex, in Miss Rogers, our first grade teacher, a very pretty young woman.” So Larry, who grew up in the Myers Station/Cassidy Creek community of Nicholas County, and I, who was born & raised in Carlisle, appropriately first met in the Carlisle City School first grade on opening day in 1943, and thus began a very long lasting friendship thereafter, never deterred by distance, that reached 76 years with Larry’s passing.

Other than my second grade year in southern Indiana with my parents, Elmer and Ann Dampier, while Dad worked in a defense plant as part of the WWII effort, I was always with my classmates in the Carlisle City School building. On one of our latter-year gatherings, Larry, and some of the girls, forgetting that I had spent second grade in Indiana, exclaimed with some apparent disappointment in their voices, “Donnie, you mean you missed out on being in Miss Mary Frances Fisher’s second grade class!” She was well noted as an excellent teacher, but also as a stern disciplinarian. The Carlisle City School produced numerous class-room skits as well as public plays. In the fourth-grade we produced The Tom Thumb Wedding, with Larry in the lead role of Tom Thumb, and I was “father of the bride.” And, there were numerous other productions, in which Larry and I had significant roles through senior year.

Larry and I began our high school athletic careers together as freshmen, soon working into starting positions in football, basketball, and baseball. We grew up to be the same size, at 5’9”, 165 pounds, fairly typical size for the early/mid 1950’s athlete. We served as senior-year co-captains in both football and basketball of the Carlisle High School Musketeers. Since we never left the football field as “two-way” performers, we lined up side-by-side in the offensive back field; and again as linebackers on the defense. During our junior and senior years in football we ran the old-fashioned “single wing” with Larry as Tailback (signal caller) and I the “running fullback.” Even though I led the football Musketeers in scoring those two years, Larry was the confident field leader who always “knew how to play the game,” regardless of the game; attributes which served him well as a very successful high school coach of multi-sports, especially football, in his adopted Florida for several years. Larry was also a proud chemistry and science teacher to his students. Even though residing in his adopted Florida home for six decades, his love for his hometown Carlisle classmates never left his heart ‘n soul.

As the reader might quickly surmise, this small group of Carlisle students, totaling some two dozen at various times, would occasionally get together for unofficial class reunions. This was in addition to the official Annual reunions of the amazing Carlisle High School Alumni Association! Larry and wife Martha would frequently travel the long distance, as Larry would say, “keeping I-75 hot” from Florida, to be a part of these gatherings of friendships, greeted with hugs, handshakes, pats-on-the-back, the occasional kiss, often with some tears, always filled with reminiscing and story telling.

Over the last dozen years or so, my wife, Pat and I have annually spent the first week or two of March at “A Beach Retreat” near Venice and Sarasota, on the Florida Gulf Coast, relatively near to “Cameron Country;” and, in so doing, have had the welcomed opportunity of a nice visit with Larry and Martha, a “looking forward to” event each year. This will now be missing!

So, here’s a toast to Larry Cameron, my very good friend of 76 years, and to Martha, his wife of 61 years, also a very good friend. Larry will be missed. God Speed!

Donnie Joe Dampier, Carlisle High School Classmate of 1955; and Co-Captain

With Love As Always: Don and Pat Dampier

* * * * * * * * * *

Larry P. Cameron, born in Lexington, KY on November 7, 1937, passed away peacefully with the love and support of his family on July 13, 2019. He was a graduate of Morehead State University in Morehead, KY and received his Master’s degree from Antioch College in Yellow Springs, OH.

Larry started his teaching career in Amelia, OH and after 5 years, moved his family to Florida. He then retired after many years as a teacher and coach in the Pinellas County School System, teaching high school chemistry and coaching football and golf. He taught and coached football at Dixie M. Hollins High School in St. Petersburg, FL followed by teaching and coaching golf at Countryside High School in Clearwater, FL. Throughout his career, he positively impacted many of his students and remained in touch with a number of them over the years and into his retirement.

He was an energetic sports fan and always had opinion about whatever game he was watching – the players, the coaches, and even the referees! He enjoyed watching the Rays and the Bucs, and was a life-long fan of the University of Kentucky basketball.

Larry is survived by his wife of over 61 years, Martha A. Cameron. He is also survived by his children, daughter, Jayne A. Cameron, son, Jay P. Cameron and daughter-in-law, Karla Cameron. Larry was especially proud of and dearly loved his grandchildren, Katy and Carson Cameron.

He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

For those who wish to remember him, we would welcome donations in his memory to the American Cancer Society.

Services will be held at Sylvan Abbey Funeral Home on July 18, 2019. Visitation will be from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm. Funeral Services will start a 1:00 pm.