REMEMBERING LARRY WALTERS
On June 29, 2021, FAIRtax lost one of its most strident warriors. Larry Walters was a strong FAIRtax volunteer for many years. He and Marc Manieri ran the monthly FAIRtax webinar for about ten years and educated many of us throughout the country about the intricacies of our tax reform project.
On June 29, 2021, FAIRtax lost one of its most strident warriors. Larry Walters was a strong FAIRtax volunteer for many years. He and Marc Manieri ran the monthly FAIRtax webinar for about ten years and educated many of us throughout the country about the intricacies of our tax reform project.
Larry was born in Manhattan, New York, on August 18, 1939. Larry grew up an avid Yankees fan, spending his youth playing baseball and stickball. At age 17, Larry enlisted in the youngest branch of the military, the Air Force, serving in the 45th Fighter Day Squadron in Morocco.
Larry gained his engineering knowledge in the Air Force and spent his life building CB radios, televisions, and computers. Family members say Larry could figure out how to do anything, earning him the title of “first repairman.” Daughter Linda observes, "Whenever we had a plumbing leak, Dad was there to fix it. You could be sure the repair was done exactly right. Dad was very precise.”
Linda also notes that Larry was always helping others. When new neighbors moved in or were remodeling their house, Larry was over, often helping with the kids. “Dad put everyone else first,” says Linda, “If a car broke down on the side of the road, Dad was the first to stop.”
Not surprisingly, Larry met his wife, Joanie, when the New York subway broke down and he offered her a ride home. They had been married for 59 years when Larry passed on. Larry and Joanie made their home in Longwood, Florida in 1974.
Larry was an accomplished bass fisherman. He was a member of Bass Masters International, where he competed in many tournaments. Larry also took pride in his membership in the Sons of the American Revolution after tracing back his ancestry.
How much did Larry love the FAIRtax? The picture chosen for his obituary shows Larry sporting his FAIRtax hat – and catching a bass of course. Larry always had shirts with pockets so that he was never caught without FAIRtax pocket cards. He would hand out a pocket card any time there was an opportunity.
Larry was a fixture on Radio Station WDBO in Orlando, Florida. Talking to callers, he was all about the FAIRtax and made sure the listeners understood it.
When Larry was not walking around with pocket cards or on the radio, he was on the stump. Here is a picture of Larry on stage with a microphone and a FAIRtax banner behind him.
Larry was a board member of the Florida FAIRtax Educational Association, the very active FAIRtax chapter in Florida. He also served as District Director for Florida Congressional Districts, 7, 9, 10, and 15. These districts are contiguous inland districts containing Deltona, Kissimmee, Winter Haven, and most of the Western Half of Orlando.
Larry is survived by his wife, Joan, daughters Debbie and Linda, a grandson, and two great-grandsons. A son predeceased him.
We will miss Larry. Do you know someone like him? If so, I would love to hear from you.
Jim Bennett
AFFT Grassroots Coordinator & Secretary
🇺🇸 Call For Pictures & WriteUps - When others see your activity, they are inspired, the process snowballs and Representatives, Senators and, yes, even the President start to listen to you and me. Please send your material to me at Jim.Bennett@FAIRtax.org.
🇺🇸 The Official FAIRtax Store - Don’t forget to order your FAIRtax gear from the FAIRtax Store.🇺🇸 We've Got You Covered, If You Let Us Know - If you are planning an event, we have event insurance coverage available for you. Email me the "who-what-where-when" and I will obtain for you a COI. Once the event is underway, it's too late.
🇺🇸 CPAC Finally, save the dates: February 24-27, 2022 (probably), for either Orlando, Florida, or Washington, D.C. (National Harbor, Maryland). Plan to be at the CPAC (“Conservative Political Action Conference) annual convention. The FAIRtax Guys were there this year and say next year we need to turn out in numbers. You don’t need to be a conservative to attend and help the FAIRtax.