Larry Joseph Wilson

June 15, 1937 - July 6, 2020

Larry Joseph Wilson, 83, a resident of North Fort Myers, FL since 1994, formerly of Williamsburg, VA, passed away Monday, July 6, 2020 in Fort Myers. He was born June 15, 1937 in Roanoke Rapids, NC to Emmit and Maude Wilson, now deceased.

Larry was of the Christian faith and a member of First Christian Church in Cape Coral as well as First Timothy of East 10th Street Church of Christ Roanoke Rapids, NC. He graduated from Atlanta Christian College and Maryland with a Masters in Theology.  He started a prison ministry in Washington Dc. and is still active today. He started and built the First Christian Church of Woodbridge, VA, and also was the Pastor of Portsmouth VA Christian Church of Christ. He spoke and ministered at several men’s and women’s prayer breakfasts and baptized many he loved serving the Lord to the very end of his life. He also taught music. He played the piano, fiddle, banjo, guitar, and best known for his mandolin cross pick style. He performed professionally on the road with Jerry Williamson & Redwing. He put on and played musical shows in TN, VA, FL, OK, MS, WV, etc.

Larry, also known to everyone as “Papa Larry”.  He was a loving husband who took my hand and took me on a special Christian walk through this life. He has been on a long journey through his health issues until the Lord rewarded him for a job well done with a special place in Heaven. I would like to share his favorite bible verse Acts 2 Verse 38 .

He is survived by his beloved wife of 34years, Peggy Erickson- Wilson of North Fort Myers; three loving children, Charissa Comerota (Michael) of Cape Coral, FL, Scott Erickson of Bradenton, FL, and Jason Erickson (Darlene)  of Cape Coral and beloved God Daughter Nicole Clayton , Richmond Va ; two sisters, Yvonne Haskins (Albert) of Aberdeen, NC, and Marie Moss of Raleigh, NC; ten grandchildren; Samantha Comerota Khan (Bryan), Jessica Comerota of Cape Coral , Keturah Erickson of Bradenton , Jerimah Erickson of Lehigh Acres , Derrick Erickson of Cape Coral, Adam Hill , Bailey Pegg  [Caden], Courtney and Stephanie Snyder Cape Coral, and his precious great grand children, Raven and Bryan Khan of Cape Coral. Kimber Chase and Tiffany, Larry’s special Hospice nurses who loved and took care of him until the end. His special music friends, Tommy, Mike and Bob who visited him and played music for him well .

A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Details to be announced for his FL celebration of Life and also his family will hold a service at his home church in NC.  information via    vwww.MullinsMemorial.com  

Memorial Contributions in memory of Larry Joseph Wilson are suggested to his family c/o Mullins Memorial, 1056 NE 7th Terrace, Cape Coral, FL 33909.

Mullins Memorial Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cape Coral, is entrusted with final care.

Guestbook

  1. Robin Antone Jul 8, 2020 at 1:21 pm

    I’m sorry for your loss. Hugs, love and prayers.

  2. Lori Spencer Jul 8, 2020 at 2:00 pm

    My deepest condolences to all those that loved Larry, What a wonderful loving Christian man who did anything and everything for his family. A wonderful soulmate to his loving wife . May the street of gold feel wonderful under his feet and may he be healed and well in Heaven. Much love to the Wilson Family ❤️

  3. Allen and Joan Rhyne Jul 8, 2020 at 2:00 pm

    Larry and Peggy have been our very special Florida friends, these past 25 years. So many good memories of Allen and Larry playing bluegrass music all around SW Florida and Tennessee. Thunder Mountain and Barefoot Mailmen Bands. and just jamming under a tree. Truly a great musician and singer. Larry, you will always be in our hearts. One of a kind child of God like no other.

  4. Mr and Mrs Robert Mack Jul 8, 2020 at 2:18 pm

    Love Larry and his music. He was a good friend to my husband, Grant, who played music with him at six lakes and many places in the area. God bless all the family and know he is in a better place. Darlene Ballinger-Mack and Bob Mack.

  5. Rick Parsley Jul 8, 2020 at 3:15 pm

    I have so many great memories of Larry and Peggy. What a wonderful couple ! We had some fun times working together years ago at Kings Dominion. Larry was a great mentor and when I was having a bad day or things were not going my way in life Larry would sit me down and make me count my blessings and straiten me out. I think this skill came from his days as a pastor earlier in his life. I am sure that Larry will be missed by the many of the lives he has touched but especially by his soulmate and wife Peggy as well as his children and extended family.

  6. Charissa Jul 8, 2020 at 6:42 pm

    Larry came into my life 33 years ago he made my Mom smile and that is all I needed to know he was a good man. Larry brought a new light to our family. The gift of faith, music, laughter, and a lot of love for three children he acquired when he fell in love with my Mom. He was a great father and became a great PaPa just 1 year after he joined our family. He was the greatest most proud man. Well just don’t call me grandpa that’s all he’d say. 😜. He never wanted anyone to know his age. Through all the years I was proud to call him Dad. He never stopped making my Mom happy. She got to travel and see and do so many things and have so many wonderful experiences and made so many wonderful memories. For that I’ll always be thankful to this wonderful man. I’m so glad he got to see his grandchildren grow and see two great grandchildren. Dad you may have left this earth but you will never be forgotten. Every ray of sunshine that we feel is you shining down on us. Until we meet again please know we all LOVE YOU.

  7. yvonne hasking Jul 8, 2020 at 7:17 pm

    Today I lost one of my biggest heroes!
    My brother went home to be with the Lord today. When I was a teenager and life was awful (or so I thought), Larry being a gifted pastor/counselor would come home and talk to my mom and life would be better for a while. He was my hero!
    As a musician he could play anything he touched. Mandolin being his major instrument along with banjo, fiddle, guitar and upright bass. He was a professional Blue Grass player and played with the best including Bill Monroe and the Grand Old Opry. Larry could have made it big if he had not followed God’s plan to be a minister at the time. My hero! He did make it big!!! He helped to spread the gospel and helped so many people along the way. He would give away his shirt or his last dollar to someone in need.
    As a little Girl I have fond memories of him and 5-6 other men playing bluegrass on our back porch. He never had a single private lesson. This was a God given talent and This was the beginning of my love for music.
    About 20 years ago Larry introduced me to whole foods and the healing power of food when he (with God’s help) healed himself of a terrible cancer. He walked out of chemo when they told him he only had a few weeks to live and started on the road to natural healing using foods. He taught me so much. The doctors said it could not be done and that he would not live another month but he was healed and he lived another 20 years.
    Please pray for Larry’s wife, Peggy. She is by herself in Florida and she is also fighting sicknesses. She was so good to my brother until the end. She could not see him for the past 5 months because of the Covid. Its been so hard on her.
    This past December I was able to see him in the hospice hospital in Florida and say goodbye to him. His last words to me were that he loved me and he told Al to take good care of his baby sister. I will see him again in heaven.
    Today I lost one of my biggest heroes.

  8. Rohan and Renee khan Jul 8, 2020 at 7:27 pm

    We are very sorry for your loss. May he rest in peace. He is now playing music with all the Angles in heaven and having a wonderful,wonderful jam session with Jesus. Keeping you all in our prayers.

  9. Christina Ordonia Jul 8, 2020 at 8:49 pm

    We are so very sorry for your loss. Larry became part of our family through my aunt and my cousin Nicole. My grandparents thought the world of Larry as did my parents who he married. I had long talks with him about faith and God. He always provided great advice. I know he definitely earned his wings. Love and prayers.

    Chris Ordonia and Robert Arnold

  10. Lou kirby Jul 8, 2020 at 10:35 pm

    My condolences to the family may god give you strength and guide you all. God bless you i am sorry for your loss

  11. Areina Harris and Family Jul 8, 2020 at 10:46 pm

    Ms.Peggy My deepest condolences to you and your family during this time. Sending our love your ways.

  12. Mike Walden Jul 9, 2020 at 2:34 pm

    Peggy, Let the memories of Larry bring you comfort. They will be with me forever.
    Memories of sitting in the laundromat working on a Jim and Jesse harmonies.
    Being scared to death back stage at the Alliance, being calmed by Larry.
    I wish life would have allowed more time to have spent with him.
    Bob, Tommy and I had the honor of playing and singing with our friend not very long ago.
    The smile on his face picking again was priceless. I asked him if he remembered the words to
    I wonder how the old folks are at home…. “Of course”. He didn’t miss a lick!
    You know Larry, he already had us commit to being his band when he got out. Next Tuesday.
    He will be missed here, but we will play again one day.

  13. Linda Planchon Jul 9, 2020 at 3:51 pm

    So sorry for your loss. May your memories be strong and comfort you through this time.

  14. Laurette Scatton Jul 9, 2020 at 4:13 pm

    My sincere condolences to Larry’s family! Fond memories of playing music with Larry! Always sad to lose one of our Bluegrass friends! May he rest in peace!

  15. Larry Merritt Jul 9, 2020 at 5:58 pm

    Graduation time for a special man! A good friend, and a Brother in Christ. Larry and I were born and raised in the same small town – Roanoke Rapids, NC. We were both members of East Tenth Street Church of Christ, along with our families. Larry’s father, Emmett Wilson, was one of the leaders of the Scout Troop our Church sponsored, to which I belonged. Emmett was also one of those who were instrumental in leading my parents to Christ, which changed everything for my family. Daddy (Elmer), my brother (Steve), my nephew (John), and I all became Christian Ministers. Larry was the first person from Tenth Street to go to Bible College, and I was the second. They called us Timothies. Larry was two years ahead of me in attending Atlanta Christian College, in Georgia. He told me all about his first two years there, and after I graduated from High School in 1958, we traveled together to ACC (and many times afterward). We also broke down on the road several times while making those 500-mile trips! Since we were both named Larry, it could be kind of confusing, so I decided to call him “George.” That didn’t work too well, because he started calling me “George” as well! And the name stuck for both of us. We were roommates for three years at ACC, and worked in the same Kroger store. Larry preached for awhile for the Ludville Christian Church in the Georgia mountains, and I often accompanied him on those weekend trips. We shared many adventures during our college years – climbing Stone Mountain, and visiting Amicalola Falls, etc. We were half of a 4-student team that spent a week in Montpelier Virginia, leading nightly services at a wonderful country church, which sent out several people to serve in Christian ministry. Larry graduated from ACC, and I followed in 1962. Years later, when the church I was serving in the D.C. area of Virginia provided the nucleus for a new church in Woodbridge, VA, I contacted Larry and talked him into being their founding Minister. (He wasn’t hard to convince.) My brother, Steve was also a part of that brand new congregation. Of course Larry was an amazing musician, and he taught me what little I know about playing the guitar while we were in college. It’s not his fault he didn’t have a better student! Through the years we have kept in touch, and the last time I saw him was in his Hospice room, when they said he was dying — but he didn’t. Not then. He was always stubborn like that. I visited Larry once when he was camped out in the Florida Keys, at a Craft Show. While there, we met a very nice lady, who was selling hand-made jewelry. Her name was Peggy, and she changed Larry’s life forever! She became his wife, and has stood by his side for 34 years. She has been more than a wife — she has been his rock! Peggy has been probably the greatest blessing in Larry’s life. Larry had a rough time these last few years, and he could not have made it without her loving care. Larry’s earthly life is over now — but his heavenly life is just beginning! I’ll bet he doesn’t even have to have any instructions on harp playing! Although they may be surprised to hear Bluegrass music wafting over the hillsides of Heaven! After all, harps have strings, and he never met a stringed instrument he couldn’t play! So long for now, “George.” See you down the road.

  16. Fran DeVore Jul 10, 2020 at 4:48 am

    My condolences and deepest sympathy. May God wrap His arms around you all during this challenging time. Much love to you Peggy and family!!

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