Larry Sloan

September 21, 1914 - December 17, 2016

Larry Sloan, 102, was born in Batesville, AR, September 21, 1914 to Lawrence C. and Hatz Padgett Sloan of Lawrence County. He died Saturday, December 17, 2016 at his residence in the St. Bernard Village. He received his early education and graduated from Batesville High School. He attended the Arkansas College in Batesville for one year before transferring to Arkansas State College. When the depression came, he quit college and began to work at the First National Bank in Walnut Ridge. Larry left banking to go into retail and established, Sloan’s Department Store, which he managed for ten years. He was instrumental in organizing Citizens Bank in Walnut Ridge, serving as president and CEO until he retired at the age of 75. In May of 1953, he married Gertrude Bush and they enjoyed many years of traveling and making trips for Larry to play in the U. S. Senior Amateur Tennis Tournaments. Larry served on the Board for the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis for thirty years and on the Williams Baptist College Board of Trustees. In addition to his many other community services and public offices in Lawrence County. He was a member and Deacon for over 50 years in the First Baptist Church in Walnut Ridge. Preceding Larry in death is his parents; wife, Gertrude; two sisters, Kathryn Sloan Kellow and Margaret Sloan Ledbetter. Surviving is a brother, Tom (Mary Evelyn) Sloan of Walnut Ridge; two sisters, Mabel Sloan Williams of Jonesboro and Virginia Sloan Towner of Memphis; many nieces and nephews; relatives and friends. Larry was an avid tennis player. He played his last game after he fell on the tennis court at the age of 98 years. He had earned many trophies from local, state, regional and U.S. tennis tournaments. A celebration of his long life will be held Tuesday, December 20, 2016 at 11 A.M. in the First Baptist Church in Walnut Ridge with Bro. Jake Guenrich officiating. Interment will follow in the Lawrence Memorial Park. Visitation will be Tuesday from 10 A.M. till 11 A.M. In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials to be made to the First Baptist Church in Walnut Ridge.