Larry Sterlin - Memorial in Bangkok

Larry Oid Sterlin
Born in Searcy, Arkansas. May 2nd 1940.
Died in Bangkok, Thailand. September 5th 2007.

Larry was a loving husband to Margie and doting father to Michelle and Heather. His sister Ruby Shade (nee Sterlin) lives in Lawrence, Kansas.

Memorial Services were held in Bangkok on September 7th and 8th, in a Buddhist temple.



Wat Benchamabophit, also called the Marble Temple. One of the major temples, only the Thai royals can hold ceremonies in the grounds. You can see the oval Royal crest hanging over the entrance. Larry was beloved and respected by the royal family, and they broke tradition in allowing his memorial to be held there.
When we told a Thai man where the memorial was, he said "Even Thai people are not allowed to use the temple. It's an enormous honour for a foreigner to be recognised in this way. He must have been a good person who did good things for Thailand."





Margie and Michelle on their way in.



Steve stops to get a cold drink from a vendor outside the temple.



Drinks are poured into a plastic bag with handles. They served beetroot juice or green tea inside the memorial hall, and Steve preferred Pepsi.



Margie stopped several times to comfort her grieving friends.



Entrance to the memorial hall. Huge wreaths lined the entryway and the outdoor seating area. Wreaths from all the companies that Larry worked with were placed outside...






...while wreaths from friends and royalty were placed inside.



A wonderful photograph of Larry was the centerpiece of the hall. A swag of fragrant flowers was wrapped around the easel, and a small offering of incense and candles was placed on the rug.


A gold cord connected Larry's picture and ran behind the shrine, to end in a pile of gold cloth that figured in the ceremonies performed by the four Buddhist monks. It symbolically allowed Larry to receive the merits that the ceremonies bestowed.





Everyone wanted to be photographed with Larry. Here Margie and Michelle sit with Karen, his administrative assistant who worked for him in Singapore. Karen is a good family friend.





Here is Werawat, Larry's chauffeur who worked for him for eleven years.





The small Buddhist shrine that was lit each night before the prayers began.





Many people stayed for both nights of the memorial.





A wreath from the Thai princess who thought highly of Larry. It was delivered by the Palace on the first night of the memorial services. The flourish at the top represents her signature. It was given pride of place next to his picture. Larry would cook hamburgers for the princess at his residence during his famous 'American comfort food' cookouts.





John Shenk (wearing the armband) was a good friend and business associate of Larry's. John organized the memorial, taking care of every single detail from booking hotels to placing flowers in the right place.
Larry and John met fifty years ago in Lawrence, on the KU basketball team (John was the manager). A twist of fate brought them together in Asia and they ended up working for the same company, Covanta. John was with Larry when he died.



Larry's friends and business associates flew in from all over the world. China, Japan, India, the Phillipines, the US...hundreds of people came to pay their respects, and Margie and Michelle hugged and spoke to every one of them.


Tired, sad -- but strong and composed. Larry would have been very proud of you.