Lawrence "Larry" Milton Gerrell, died at his home on July 7, 2014. He was born May 12, 1935 to Mancel and Annie T Gerrell in Wacissa, FL.
His father died when Larry was three and a half so he and his mother moved from Wacissa back to Woodville, then Tallahassee to raise him with the loving help of his Grandmother Annie Crosby Gerrell. He was a fifth generation descendant of the Gerrell and Crosby families who settled near Natural Bridge.
Larry attended FSCW Demonstration School and graduated from Leon High School in 1954, he worked summers at FSU mowing grass. He received a BA and MA from the University of Central Florida and an MA from Rollins College in Criminology. He served in the U.S. Army as an MP, then served as a Tallahassee Police Department Officer on the Motorcycle Squad. He attended the FSU/Florida Highway Patrol Academy and served FHP from October 15, 1959 until his retirement November 30, 1997 as First Lieutenant.
He was an instructor at the FHP Academy. After retirement he served from 1997 until June 30, 2012 as Reserve Captain for the FHP Reserve, working with the FHP Auxiliary. He was also a devoted member of the FHP Retirees Association and a member of Lodge #5 of the Independent Order of Oddfellows.
Surviving are eleven first cousins and his beloved FHP family as well as Floyd Demontmollin, Jr.'s family in Woodville, Major Bob Bull and family, Major Mike Boles and family, Dr. J. Paul Grant and family and his neighbor's, Leon and Beverly Simpkins.
Services will be held 10:00 am, July 22, 2014, at Beggs Funeral Homes, 3322 Apalachee Parkway, Tallahassee, FL 32311, (850) 942-2929. Visitation will be held from 9:00 to 10:00 am prior to services. Interment will be held at White Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery in Woodville immediately after the service. Rev. Keith Wallace of Lake Ellen Baptist Church will be the officiate. Condolences may be extended at: beggsfuneralhomes.net with Mr. James Sircy assisting the family with the arrangements.
The Patriot Guard Riders will escort his procession to Woodville where military honors will be bestowed.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to The Wounded Warrior Project, 4899 Belfort Road, Jacksonville, FL 32256; Lighthouse Children's Home, 7771 Mahan Drive, Tallahassee, FL 32309-1417 or White Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, c/o Cemetery Mgr. Angela Cassidy, P.O. Box 112, Woodville, Fl 3236. -