Native Son~Born in Chapel Hill on November 11, 1953. Larry lived life large. Life caught up on April 19, 2008.
CHAPEL HILL - Larry Carswell, age 54, died Saturday, April 19, 2008 at UNC Hospital in Chapel Hill after a period of declining health.
Larry was born November 11, 1953, in Chapel Hill, NC to the late John Hampton Carswell, Sr., and Janet Adcock Carswell.
Larry lived in Chapel Hill his entire life, attending schools there and graduating from Chapel Hill High School in 1971. Larry had many fond memories of growing up in Dogwood Acres as well as selling programs at UNC as a youngster, and working at the Chapel Hill Newspaper as a teenager. While attending UNC-Chapel Hill, he began Lily Pad Waterbeds, one of the first waterbed furniture stores in the area. The waterbed concept was popular with students, and the business grew with several sites. Larry later transitioned the store into a larger retail business with a full line of furniture for the home. After leaving the retail furniture business, Larry ventured into other businesses, including selling closet and home organization systems. In recent years, he was the evening manager for the Shell convenience store located at the corner of Highway 54 and I-40.
Larry never met a stranger and counted many people as friends. Despite periodic adversity during life, he was the eternal optimist and never let anything or anyone keep him down. His sense of humor and his love to tell a good story will be remembered by many.
From ?:
I have fond memories of Larry.
He was an entrepreneur.
I remember he had the first water bed store in CH.
Many, many years later I ran into him at a convenience store.
He was a good guy.
From ?:
I always finished 2nd to Larry in the annual Chapel Hill Weekly subscription drive.
He always got the bike and I always won something I can't even recall.
Maybe outta pity he lined me up with my first hourly job.
Hate to hear this. Larrys' one guy I would make the trip to see.
btw: anyone recall glen lennox vs dogwood acres?
Hell, Larry stacked the deck to win that too :)