Lawrence ‘Larry’ Gross Jr. was born in Detroit, MI, on August 18, 1952. He was the eldest of Lawrence Sr. and Shirley Gross’ five children: Larry, Grace, Valeria, Andre and Pamela.
Larry spent his adolescence in Detroit, graduating in 1970 from Cass Technical High School. Being from Detroit, of course he loved Motown music and had a passion for making mixed tapes using 45’s. Larry joined the Army in 1972 where he was voted “Most Inspirational” by his Command, and also developed his love for travel, visiting places like Korea and Hawaii.
Looking for a change in scenery, Larry put down roots in the Seattle area in 1976. Larry joined the King County Sheriff's Office in 1978, and would spend 38 years there until his retirement in 2016. During his time on the force he served as a detective, a member of the Green River Task Force, and a patrol deputy for Precinct 4 in Skyway. Larry loved working for law enforcement and was affectionately known as “Batman”, due to his affinity for the crime-fighting superhero. Larry had an unforgettable joint retirement party with Frank Spence, his law enforcement partner of 18 years and friend for many more. Both Larry and Frank were honored by former congressman and Sheriff Dave Reichert upon their retirement.
When not working, Larry loved entertainment: movies, concerts and casinos. He also loved to travel (as long as it was to a warm climate), and had a passion for acting and modeling, as evidenced by his active membership to the Screen Actors Guild. He enjoyed nature and took it all in while riding on his motorcycles, camping, and tending to his plants at home. For those who visited his home, you would also know that Larry was a collector of all things, from artwork, comic books and baseball cards, to any sort of memorabilia that reminded him of good times.
Larry struggled with several medical challenges for the past two years and fought hard all the way up to the end. He passed peacefully with his family by his side.
Larry’s sense of humor and his contributions to our lives and the community will never be forgotten and he will be missed greatly. Larry is survived by his three children Larry III, Chrissy, and Kenny, as well as his four siblings: Grace, Valeria, Andre and Pamela.
In light of the current coronavirus environment, a celebration of life for Larry will be postponed until a later date. Please provide your email address in the comments to be notified of plans for the celebration of life.
As Larry would often sign-off, “Aloha4Now”