James "Larry" Martin, Jr.

James Lawrence Martin, Jr, known to all as Larry, slipped into the arms of his loving Lord on Tuesday, July 5, 2022.

Born to James L. and Janice Martin in Columbia, South Carolina, on April 19, 1942, Larry accepted Christ as his Savior when he was thirty-two years old. From that moment on, Larry’s life was gloriously changed. The Word of God came alive for him, and he became an avid Bible scholar and teacher. For over thirty years Larry taught Bible classes at Calvary Baptist Church, Winter Haven, FL. Many who sat under his teaching have said he opened the Bible for them, and they were transported to places they had never been. Larry was a Charter member, Deacon, and Bible teacher at Calvary Baptist Church.

Larry grew up in Ft. Lauderdale where there were many happy beach days. He was a 1960 graduate of Ft. Lauderdale High School. While serving in the United States Navy during the Cuban Missile Crisis, his destroyer, USS Dupont, sat on top of a Russian sub for 100 hours in dead silence.   Larry’s ship also participated in locating the Thresher, and in the Gemini astronaut recovery off the coast of the Canary Islands.

After traveling throughout the Mediterranean for four years, Larry returned to college and graduated with High Honors from University of Florida with a BS in Advertising. It was in Gainesville Larry met his wife of 53 years, Carol Sue Moran Martin. Larry loved to tell the story of how they met. Destiny along with the annual football matchup of UF and LSU brought them together. The couple lived in Ft. Lauderdale and Ft. Myers before moving to Winter Haven in 1972.

After 25 years in the Ad Agency business, Larry taught business classes at Ridge Career Center for seventeen years where he was recognized as Polk County Vocational Teacher of the Year. After retiring from Polk County Schools, Larry’s love of coins and stamps along with comic books and baseball cards, led him to Southern Comfort Antiques where he established a coin and stamp store. Larry never met a stranger. His reputation as an honorable man who was honest in all his dealings continued to grow.

Larry’s greatest accomplishments and the great loves of his life are his two daughters, Cara Martin Crumpler (Randy), Lara S. Martin and two grandsons, Owen James Crumpler and Henry Davis Crumpler.

Larry’s last days were spent continuing to explore the Bible and the promises of God. He was excited about the opening of Heaven’s gates and hearing the words:  Well-done, my good and faithful servant. Welcome Home.

All are welcome to celebrate his Homegoing with us at Calvary Baptist Church, 2101 Overlook Drive SE, Winter Haven, FL 33884 at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, July 13, 2022 with a visitation prior at 10:00 a.m.

The family requests that contributions in Larry’s memory be made to The Mission of Winter Haven, PO Box 2586, Winter Haven, FL, 33883 or to The MDS Foundation, 4573 South Broad Street, Suite 150, Yardville, NJ, 08620.