Lawrence Evans Eix, 80, died on Friday, November 12, 2021, after a determined fight for several years against significant health issues.

Larry was born in Detroit, MI to Oscar and Florence (Evans) Eix on June 6, 1941, and lived the remainder of his life in Dearborn. His only brother Robert (Bob) was born three years later. Larry graduated from Fordson High School in 1959 and attended Henry Ford Community College and eventually got his B.A. in Electrical Engineering from Detroit Institute of Technology.  Larry worked at Detroit Edison for 35 years holding various positions including: Director of Engineering for the Detroit, Oakland, and Western Wayne divisions, at the Fermi II Nuclear Power plant, and eventually retiring as Director of Distribution Projects in 2001.

His growing up years were filled with incredible memories of helping at his grandfather's farm most weekends and especially during the planting and harvesting seasons. Larry told stories about riding horses, hunting, playing in the hay lofts, driving the tractor long before having a license, and aggravating hapless chickens. He also worked for 5 summers as a lifeguard at Camp Dearborn in Milford, MI.

Larry married Maybelle Tait in June 1966. Together they enjoyed trips to the Smokey Mountains, Portage Lake Covenant Bible Camp in northern MI and other trips with the family. They also loved watching community theater with friends, trips to Stratford, Ontario, and in retirement traveling to Florida, Germany, Scotland, and Alaska. The joy of their lives together was their children. With his son Marc and daughter Megan, he built bikes, coached soccer, attended every sporting event imaginable, participated in Indian Guides, tutored, wrestled, laughed, and taught them how to work hard. He successfully passed on to them his ability to fix things and of course how to pack an entire household into the trunk of a car.

Larry had many diverse interests and talents. After high school, he played softball, handball volleyball, and liked to waterski. He was passionate about fly fishing and loved teaching others how to fish and the best places on the river to be successful. He also enjoyed reading, playing cards, tinkering, golfing, woodworking, and sailing – especially catamarans. Larry was known for his ability to fix most things given enough time and the right tools. He worked on everything: cars, boats, appliances, electrical issues – his own, the neighbors, church members, and people he had just met. He was simply compelled to help people whenever they needed it. Many would come to "Eixes Hardware Store" (his garage) if they needed a screw, nail, tool … or maybe even a part. He held many roles at Littlefield Presbyterian Church including the Head of the Trustees and as an elder. And of course, he loved being with his grandkids whether making and launching water rockets, teaching them how to fish or waterski, helping to study for an upcoming test, watching a performance, or just encouraging them and telling him how proud he was of them.

He was consistently generous with his time, his abilities, and his resources and was thus a wonderful example of a Christ follower for those who knew him. In the end, he was surrounded by May, Marc, and Megan praying and singing hymns as he took his last breath. Due to his knowledge of and relationship with Jesus we know that as he let go of our hands on this side, God took his hand on the other side and led him to his forever home.

Larry is survived by his wife Maybelle, his children Marc (Sarah) Eix, and Megan (JR) Samples, his brother Bob (Sue) Eix, his grandchildren Emily, Nathan, and Laura Eix, Jack and Hannah Samples.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, December 11 at Allegria Village (formerly Henry Ford Village) 15101 Ford Rd. in Dearborn with visitation an hour prior at 10:00 a.m. and coffee and cookies following.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be sent to:

Portage Lake Covenant Bible Camp

4158 Camp Delight Rd.

Onekama, MI 49675