The Ireland I'll Miss

*** To My Readers: I am resending this post. I inadvertently got Larry’s date of death wrong. I sincerely apologize for my error.

Don’t it always seem to go
That you don’t know what you’ve got ‘till it’s gone.”
- Joni Mitchell, Big Yellow Taxi

Last week the 9:59 Club lost one its long-serving members.  Larry Ireland passed away on June 29.  Larry was a good friend and automotive enthusiast.

Larry worked in coal for the electric utility in Baltimore.  He managed the ordering, delivery and inspection of tens of thousands of trainloads of coal over his career.  It might sound simple, but to listen to Larry it was anything but.  There were different types of coal and each multi-car shipment needed to be tested to ensure that the coal had sufficient energy potential.  Larry was a busy man!

Besides Larry’s wife Margaret Ann, Larry’s love was the Indianapolis 500.  Larry had been to every one since 1971.  Except for this year.  Last year Larry was diagnosed with colorectal cancer.  At the time, his oncologist asked him what he was looking forward to and Larry said the 2023 Indy 500.  That was a strong incentive to Larry.

Larry went though chemotherapy which knocked the s**t out of him.  But he bravely fought it and came back.  He put on some of the weight he lost to chemo and was regaining strength.  By March of this year, Larry was pretty close to his old self.

He was so good that in April he and Margaret Ann travelled back to Indianapolis to participate in the Indy 500 and all its various festivities.  It was easy for them because they had a home directly across the street from the raceway!

But as the Memorial Day race neared, Larry became increasingly ill.  The week before the race they decided to forgo the race and return home for medical care here in Delaware.  This year Larry watched the race from afar.

He got so close; it makes me want to cry. 

Cancer is a bastard and it took my good friend.  Larry, you are missed.