Lawrence "Larry" R. Hock, Jr.

Lawrence R. Hock, Jr. of Lebanon, Ohio passed away at Hospice of Cincinnati on October 3, 2022, at the age of 81. His battle with health issues in recent years reflected his courage in facing life challenges with a smile.

Larry was born in Meadville, PA, to the late Margaret Crosley Hock and Lawrence R. Hock, Sr.

He attended St. Brigid School and Meadville High School. He fell into lifelong love with Sandra Guttadauria during the summer between his first two years at the University of Notre Dame, where he earned a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He and Sandy married and moved to Pittsburgh, PA, and welcomed three children, Maria, Thomas, and Elizabeth.

Larry’s skill as a gearing specialist allowed his career to span several disciplines, and his adventurous spirit led him around the country and the world to work in the steel industry in Pittsburgh, punching technologies in Switzerland and Huntsville, AL, draglines in Marion, OH, heavy construction equipment, mixers and impellers in Philadelphia, PA, and pump mechanics in Benton Harbor, MI.

When the children left home, he found time to be active in his community. He took roles in several service committees at First Presbyterian Church of Goshen, IN, and led a Bible Study there. He was active with Habitat for Humanity of Elkhart County, IN, where he was honored as Volunteer of the Year. When he retired to Lebanon, OH, to be closer to his children, he volunteered at Urbancrest New Street Church's Hands Up Program, Lebanon Free Clothing Store, and Lebanon Presbyterian Church's free lunch program. Not a veteran himself, Larry was a passionate advocate for veterans' services. At the Warren County (Ohio) Community Services Veterans Club, where he was Director from 2015 to 2022, he took great pleasure in supporting and honoring veterans by providing an opportunity for them to gather and learn about available benefits. His final act of humanitarianism was to donate his body to the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He attended Antioch Church in the Countryside YMCA.

Larry liked to stay busy. He never hired someone to fix something if he thought he could do it himself. His found joy in the act of helping; many times, he dropped everything to help fix a car, build a deck, or run basement wiring. He loved music, played piano by ear, and had an extensive vinyl collection through which he introduced his musical tastes to loved ones. He marked special occasions by writing poems. He cultivated hot peppers and dabbled in jewelry-making. He relished making people laugh, whether by making up a one-line song or dressing up as a different variation of Santa each year for the grandkids.

He is survived by his wife, Sandra Hock, children Maria Hoffman (Michael), Thomas Hock (Tammy), and Elizabeth Swift (David), and grandchildren Matthew Hoffman, Aelan, Evander, and Gabriel Hock, and Benjamin, Christian, Aaron, and Isabella Swift, and siblings Margaret (the late Paul) Heetmann and James (Maureen) Hock.

Visitation is from 1-2:30 PM on Saturday, November 5, 2022, at STEPHEN P. MIZNER FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES, INC., 404 CHESTNUT ST., MEADVILLE, where a Memorial Service will follow at 2:30 PM.

Memorial contributions may be made in Larry’s memory to: Yolanda G. Barco Oncology Institute, 16792 Conneaut Lake Road, Meadville PA 16335; WCCS Veterans Club at the 741 Center, 570 N. State Rt. 741, Lebanon, OH 45036; or Hospice of Cincinnati, P.O. Box 633597, Cincinnati, OH 45263-3597.

Share a memory or condolence at www.miznerfuneralhome.com