Lawrence Charles Seddon

Lawrence C. Seddon of Manchester Center, VT, passed away at his home surrounded by his daughters on August 24, 2022. Known to his friends and family as “Larry”, he approached life with enthusiasm, was a fun conversationalist, and had a great love of family. His smile was infectious, and he took a genuine interest in each person he met. Born in Pittsfield, MA on December 1, 1935, Larry became the latest generation of Bricklayers from a family lineage dating back to the 1800’s in England. He continued the masonry trade learning from his father who insisted on the highest standards of workmanship. His work ethic was beyond reproach and one he carried with him his whole life in everything he did. He later became a partner at C&S Masonry, Inc. in Pittsfield until 1978 after which he moved to Austin, Texas. In Austin, Larry formed another business partnership, starting in residential construction and eventually transitioning into building schools, shopping centers, office buildings, and other commercial developments. His most notable venture was Austin’s famous native plant research facility, “The Lady Bird Johnson National Wildlife Research Center.” He loved the project’s architectural creativity, and he especially took pride in constructing the stone observation tower, which was quoted as, “a dramatic demonstration of the mason’s art”. (ARCHITECTURE Magazine, published July 1995). Larry considered this project to be by far his most satisfying and accomplished work in the history of his career. Also, while in Texas, Larry took an interest in genealogy with the encouragement of his wife Mara. His interest was piqued from seeing discharge papers of his 4th great grandfather who fought in the Revolutionary War of 1776. Over a 20-30 year period, in between jobs, Larry continued his research, and with the help of a retired teacher from England, he traced his family history to the 1720’s. Larry was keen to visit England and Scotland, where he discovered his ancestors had lived. Finally, in 2018 his lifelong dream became a reality and he and his daughters traveled to England and Scotland visiting the various towns of his earliest known relatives. In 2000, Larry and Mara returned to New England in Manchester, VT where Larry retired some years later. After renovating his home, he took up the hobby of fine woodworking making tables, chairs, and furniture. Larry always liked the challenge of a project, and he had many. He approached each one with vigor, thoughtfulness, and planning, being sure to execute to perfection. On the weekend, he enjoyed golfing with his brother George, who always seem to beat him, but he had a great time anyway. In later years after the passing of his wife, he became interested in cooking and baking. This soon became a hobby that he enjoyed with his daughters, who would exchange recipes, and give him tips on techniques and flavors. He quickly became a master at baking bread, bringing loaves to every family gathering and never forgetting to bake his famous biscotti for his great granddaughter, Lydia. To his surprise and joy, his great grandsons, Alex and Remy actually preferred a loaf of his bread to anything else. In fact, Larry was eager to learn just about everything! Whether it be listening to audiobooks about the nature of Wars, watching documentaries about the creation of the National Park System, enjoying his favorite Western, “High Noon”, or just relaxing watching the latest golfing tournament, Larry’s interests were many and varied. He truly embraced life. Those who knew Larry, remember him as a “thinker”, reasoning out solutions to challenges before they became problems, proposing new questions if something did not make sense, or simply providing a thoughtful response when engaged in conversation. He prided himself on being independent, self-sufficient, and able, yet at the same time he possessed a certain humbleness and respect for the opinions of others. He was a grateful man, telling everyone how lucky he was to have two wonderful daughters who cared so much for him. Larry took nothing for granted, and each day was a new adventure. Prior to passing, Larry was visited by a friend, a very special person whose life he did not realize he had touched. It brought tears to his eyes to learn that the friendship was mutual and caused him to ponder that perhaps he did have an impact on others after all. This visit was his last. It was a gift, one which our family will treasure forever. Larry, you will be sadly missed. We love you. Larry is survived by his two daughters, Debbie Lucey and Linda Palladino, two granddaughters, Breanne Oldziej (husband Robert Oldziej) and Nicole Bojko (husband Brian Bojko), three great grandchildren, Lydia Oldziej, Alexander Bojko, and Remy Bojko, and his brother, George E. Seddon (wife Christa Seddon). He is pre-deceased by his wife, Mara Seddon, his parents, Lawrence R. Seddon and Lois A. Frazier, his brother Charles L. Seddon, and his daughter, Carrie Lane. Memorial information: Per Larry’s wishes, there will not be a formal service. Larry and Mara’s ashes will be interred in Dellwood Cemetery, Manchester, VT at a later date. If friends desire, memorial gifts may be made in Larry’s memory to the Manchester Community Food Cupboard, 40 Jeff Williams Way, Manchester Center, VT 05255 Phone: 802-362-0057 https://www.communityfoodcupboard.org/what-we-do The family has entrusted the arrangements to the care of Brewster-Shea Funeral Services PO Box 885 Manchester Center, VT 05255