The St. Louis Ski Club lost a long-time member, and a dear and valued friend, with the passing of Larry Essmann on May 9th. Larry had long been a familiar face on our ski trips, with Telluride and Park City as two of his favorite ski destinations. He usually went on one trip a year and served numerous stints as a trip captain. He was recognized for his exceptional organizational skills when leading trips but even more so for his outgoing nature and his ability to make all skiers feel like his close friends.
Larry retired in 1997 after a long and respected career as a teacher and assistant principal in the Pattonville School District. In addition to his activities with the ski club, he filled his retirement with travel across the country and around the world and with volunteer activities at many organizations throughout the St. Louis area. He was also an enthusiastic cyclist who helped found and organize the St. Louis Recreational Cycling Club.
Wherever his adventures took him, Larry remained a friendly and down-to-earth companion to all those who shared in his experiences. He could strike up a conversation with a stranger he met on the ski lift as easily as he could with a life-long friend from St. Louis. The St. Louis Ski Club is poorer today for our loss, but we are far richer in the long run for having a friend like Larry Essmann in our midst.
See Larry’s obituary and service information at https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/stltoday/name/lawrence-essmann-obituary?id=55091318
