Larry McNeill Greer

Larry McNeill Greer was born on October 2, 1936 in Greenville, SC and passed away of COVID complications on Saturday, January 2, 2021 at the age of 84. He was the oldest of 5 children of Etta Mae Smith and Robert McNeill Greer. He was united in marriage to Maxine Martin Greer on August 31, 1956 and they were together for 57 loving years.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, David and his wife Maxine. Surviving Larry are his daughter, Lee Etta Greer White and husband Joseph, and Larry’s son Jeremy Greer and wife Victoria, all of Greenville.

Also surviving are sisters: Sarah Tice Greer (Frank) Hager, Rebecca Susan Greer (Robert) Chrzanowski and Mary Etta Greer (Jimmy) Vance.

Surviving grandchildren include Brandon Greer White, James Joseph White (Stephanie), great-grandson Sullivan James White, and Evan McNeill White. Nieces and nephews include: Jennifer Marie Vance (Jeremy) Sansbury, Greer and Haynie Sansbury, and James Manning Vance (Lindsey), Rebecca Chrzanowski (Clay) Culbertson, and Chandalyn Chrzanowski (Scott) Trible.

Larry spent early years in Greenville, SC and LaGrange, GA. He graduated from Greenville High and went to work for Texize Chemicals in their bottling room. During his 21-year tenure there, he rose to the position of National Sales Manager. The last 25 years of his career he owned and operated two successful food brokerage companies.

Larry was the most natural born salesman we had ever seen, and he employed his gregarious nature and creative skills not only in his business but in extensive philanthropic work, impacting charities throughout the Southeast. He was co-founder of the BI-LO Charity Classic Golf Tournament that ran for 27 years and became one of the largest charity golf tournaments in the US, raising over $63 million. He chaired the board of Greenville Hospital System. While there he created the Stellar Service Award, honoring outstanding employees (Prisma Health employees are still being honored through this vehicle). Larry served as Chairman of Meals on Wheels, the Board of Trustees of Camden Military Academy, and was instrumental in securing a $40 million grant for construction of the Salvation Army Kroc Center in Greenville. Larry received many awards for outstanding sales performance, but the recognition he was most proud of was the National Jefferson Award for Public Service, presented by the State of South Carolina.

Larry was also an avid outdoorsman and loved adventures backpacking with his son, canoeing many rivers in the US and Canada with his buddies. He was also active in the Republican Party, hosting several significant fundraisers for prominent SC gubernatorial candidates.

There was no stopping this man with retirement. He reinvented himself as an author. At the time of his death, he had published 14 novels, and two are still being edited, to be published this spring. He was also an avid golfer, never turning down an opportunity to hit the links with his friends at Keowee Key. He and Carol Browning, his companion of the past 6 years, enjoyed lively debates, extensive travel and entertaining together. There are no words that can express how empty her life will be without this loving, generous man.

Larry you are one unique human being and everyone who knew you will all sorely miss your company.

Larry loved volunteering at Triple Tree Aerodrome and his friend John Hartness shared a final tribute that will comfort us all. “Larry now rests peacefully in the arms of God.”

An outdoor visitation will be held at 12:30pm on Wednesday, January 6 at the home of Randy and Jacque Bell, at 701 Knollwood Dr., Greenville. Services will be at 1:30pm. Masks will be mandatory and social distancing will be practiced. A private immediate family graveside service will follow.

The family would like to do a larger celebration of Larry’s life to be scheduled at a later post-Covid date. More information will be forthcoming.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Larry’s name to Meals on Wheels of Greenville, Camden Military Academy or the Salvation Army Kroc Center of Greenville.