Individual Details

Death

Larry Lynn Drye, 57, passed away on the morning of November 6, 2014 after an extended and hard-fought battle against pancreatic cancer. Preceded in death by his parents, Ruby Lottie Furr Drye and Arthur James Drye, and by his brother, Alvin Andrew Drye, he is survived by his wife, Valerie Hardin Drye, a native of Western North Carolina, of Mt. Pleasant; stepsons, Morgan Davis and his wife Melissa of Asheville, NC, and Stephen Davis of Mt. Pleasant; grandson, Grove Davis; brother, James Drye of Kannapolis; sisters, Connie Goodman and her husband, Rick, of Kannapolis, Zelly James of Kannapolis, Cindy Drye of Kannapolis and Holley Drye and her partner, Kyle Brandon, of Concord; nieces and nephews, Jeremy Drye, De Anna Drye, Chad Drye and his wife, Yvonne, Todd Drye and his wife, Danielle, Richie Goodman and his wife, Heather, William James and Marisa James; grandnephews and grandnieces, Austin, Kelsey and Nathaniel; and numerous cousins throughout all of North Carolina and beyond. Larry leaves behind a legacy that will continue to echo through his immediate family and future generations. He was a bluegrass musician of long standing, having recorded and performed previously with The Sassy Grass, Stoney Creek Boys, Grants Creek, and others. His preferred instruments were the banjo and the doghouse bass, but he was also able to pass his skills with the guitar on to his nephew William and stepson Stephen. An enthusiastic reader, he passed his love of fiction, graphic novels and manga on to his sisters, nephews, nieces and stepchildren, as well as his love for a well-written movie of any genre. Behind an often stoic exterior, he occasionally allowed glimpses of a quirky, sensitive side to family and friends. From ferrying siblings through snow storms, to teaching his little sister how to drive; from taking his mother to Australia, to bringing home stray puppies and kittens to his wife, his caring acts touched the lives of those who loved him. Celebrating Bonzer Bottler day, making up outrageous stories about highway safety cones on road trips, and seeing animal shapes in the dry leaves skittering across the sidewalk days before he died, Larry enriched the lives of family and coworkers with his childlike whimsy. Always an intensely private individual, Larry didn't like to talk about himself or to be the center of attention, but when he took the stage at any of a number of bluegrass festivals throughout North Carolina, he could play the audience as well as he played his bass! In his youth, along with his brothers James and Alvin, Larry raced motocross on Yamaha dirt bikes for many years, bringing home numerous trophies and several scars and broken bones. Throughout his working career, Larry worked for many years at Art Thomas Chevrolet, Ben Mynatt Chevrolet and Widenhouse Motors before moving on to the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where he worked for two decades within the grounds, boiler room, and HVAC teams. He retired from the Cabarrus County School system, heading up their HVAC program. Even after retirement, Larry couldn't sit still, and returned to work for Scope Services, Inc., Keith and Keith Corrections, Inc., Facilitech, and Climate Solutions. Wherever he worked, Larry inspired his co-workers with his hard work, honesty, and dependability. In accordance with Larry's wishes, a bluegrass wake will be held at All Saints' Episcopal Church on Tuesday, November 11, 2014, from 5:30 to 7:30 PM. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, November 12, 2014 at All Saints' Episcopal Church, from 10:00 to 11:00 AM, with graveside service to follow at Carolina Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospitality House of Charlotte or All Saints' Episcopal Church of Concord.