Lawrence Larry R. Paladino

Lawrence "Larry" R. Paladino, age 84, of Marco Island, Florida, passed away Thursday, April 24, 2014. He was born August 15, 1929 in Center Ridge, Ark. to Anthony "Tony" and Erminia "Minnie" Paladino. Larry was a graduate of Subiaco Academy in 1948 and while attending Subiaco, he played quarterback on the football team and pitcher on the baseball team. Larry attended and graduated from University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Ark. and played quarterback on the football team and pitcher on the baseball team. He was selected on the All Conference Teams in 1950 and 1951. He pitched two no-hitters in semi-pro baseball during the summer of 1949. Larry signed a professional contract with the New York Giants Baseball Team (presently known as the San Francisco Giants) at the end of his junior year in 1951 and played in the Giants organization until 1956. Larry's best year was 17 wins and 8 losses. He also coached football and baseball and taught at George Washington High School in Danville, Va. in the off-seasons. Larry served and became an officer in the Arkansas and Virginia National Guards from 1951 to 1959. In 1958, Westinghouse, ALD hired Larry as a public relations and sales manager, establishing coin operated laundry stores in all of the Central United States. In 1963, the Speed Queen division of McGraw Edison hired Larry to develop their commercial appliance market. Raytheon then bought out McGraw Edison and assigned Larry to Washington DC, East Coast market, for a four-year period and then to New York, as a regional manager, until his retirement in 1982. Larry also owned two coin operated concession companies in New York City. After retirement, Larry moved from New York City to Marco Island, Florida. Larry loved to visit the farms at Center Ridge, Arkansas, where he served as president of Paladino Farms Inc. for 12 years. Larry was an avid sportsman and had a great love for golf, holding a +1 handicap. He won the Senior Tour (today known as the Champions Tour) Pro-Am Tournament in 1983 and 1984. Larry won 25 golf club championships in New York, New Jersey and Florida, sixteen of which were won at the famous Island Country Club on Marco Island, Florida. Larry was selected by the CMAA (Club Managers Association of America) to play for the National Club Championship in a tournament held at Pinehurst, N.C. in November 2005, sponsored by the Golf Channel, Nike and Toshiba. Larry shot his age or better 1,640 times beginning in 1994 until 2014 and had three hole in ones to his credit. Larry is survived by one son, Lawrence "Chris" Paladino and daughter-in-law, Elizabeth "Libby" Paladino, sisters Henrietta "Etta" Rowland and Florence "Babe" and her husband Edward Andreas and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by seven brothers, Frank J. Paladino, Father Christopher Paladino, Paul P. Paladino, John L. Paladino, Andrew R. Paladino, Joseph A. Paladino and Henry A. Paladino and four sisters, Mary Rossi, Frances DeSalvo, Amelia Whitten and Sister Lucille Paladino. A rosary will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday May 2, 2014 at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Center Ridge, Arkansas and funeral mass on Saturday, May 3, 2014, at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph's with burial at St. Joseph Cemetery. A memorial service will be held on Marco Island, Florida on May 15, 2014, at 10:30 a.m. at San Marco Catholic Church.In lieu of flowers, please make donations to St. Joseph Catholic Church. Arrangements are by Harris Funeral Home of Morrilton. Online guestbook: www.harrisfuneralhomes.net.