William Lawrence Jarvis

William Lawrence (Larry) Jarvis, 90, of Terra Alta, WV, passed away on Oct 22, 2020, at Quality Life Services nursing home in Markleysburg, PA. Larry was an inquisitive and creative man. We remember him in his woodworking shop building a loom—and in his metalworking shop forging parts for farm equipment and grinding a mirror for his telescope. We remember his love for non-fiction—history and how-to for living off the land—and the stacks of books surrounding him, spilling over into the lives he touched. He loved classical music: Beethoven, Bach, Mozart. We remember his unorthodox schedule and finding him at the door with a bag of his signature homemade rolls late at night or early in the morning. He loved auctions and discovering treasures in “boxes of contents.” He enjoyed traveling, especially to his wife’s native Germany and to Italy, his family’s country of origin. We remember especially his dedication to our mother, the light and love of his life, during her struggle with Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Larry was born in Chicago, IL, to William Howard Jarvis and Celina DeCarlo Jarvis on December 26, 1929. The family moved to Terre Haute, IN, in his youth. He graduated from North Vigo High School in 1949 and went on to study at Indiana State University. He served in the Army during the Korean Conflict, after which he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in math, chemistry, and biology from Indiana State University in 1955. He worked briefly as a bacteriologist for Campbell Soup Company and then for Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Woods Hole, MA, before beginning his career as a patent examiner with the U.S. Patent Office in Washington, DC. Larry married his wife Linda on February 23, 1958, and eventually moved his family to Terra Alta, WV, in 1972.

Larry is survived by his four children: his son Frederick William Jarvis (Debra Metheny) and their two daughters: Brooke Staeheli and her children Logan, Aeden and Kaitlyn Staeheli, and Paige Jarvis; his son Kurt Ulrich Jarvis (Cindy Carrico) and their son Nicholas (Molly); his daughter Christine Louise Wilson (Randy) and their children: Kyle (Marita) and Julie (Steph); and his son Karl Berndt Jarvis (Sheryl Bergen). Larry was preceded in death by his wife Friedlinde (Linda) Henny Louise Buchholz Jarvis in 1987. He was also preceded in death by his parents, his sisters Rose Jarvis and Agnes Rice, and his half-brother Phillip Carso.

Larry wanted neither a funeral service nor burial. His family will gather privately to honor his wishes at a later date. We are thankful for the entire staff at Quality Life Services, Markleysburg, PA, as well as Three Rivers Hospice (RN Roxann, social worker Theresa, nursing aide Becky, and chaplain Phil); all were exemplary for their dedication to the sanctity of life and to our father’s care. Memorial donations may be made to Three Rivers Hospice, 300 Oxford Drive, Suite 200, Monroeville, PA 15146.