Obituary of J. Larry Batts

J. Larry Batts, Lt. Col. U.S.A.F., (Retired) died February 26, 2019 at the age of 95.

He died at Brookdale Carriage Club on Providence, where he and his wife, Emily, had lived for the past ten years.  Larry was born in Bainbridge, GA to Jesse Lester Batts and Lucile Rich Batts.  His family moved to Orlando, FL when he was three months old.  He grew up fishing, playing baseball, tennis and golf, all pastimes which he continued enjoying into his later life.  Larry and his family loved to travel and experienced new and exciting things.

Larry was a very successful business man, becoming President of his company, Bradford Sales Co. in Charlotte.  He was also a proud graduate of Georgia Tech in Atlanta, GA.

He is predeceased by his parents, and sister, Mary Bowman.  Larry is survived by his wife of 70 years, Emily; their three daughters, Christi B. Green (J.R.), Laura B. Mullins (Stephen), and Beth B. Gordon (Jeff); four grandchildren, Kimberly Rittenhouse, (Brice), Captain Graham L. Mullins (Angela), Emily Gordon, Ethan Gordon, and five great-grandchildren, (Kayla, Reagan, Sophia, Liam and Sabrina); a niece Anne B. Erickson and a nephew, Douglass V. Bowman.

St. John’s Baptist Church was a vital part of their lives, where Larry served as a greeter and a deacon for many years.

A graveside service will be held at 2:00PM on Friday, March 1, 2019 at Forest Lawn East Cemetery, 3700 Forest Lawn Drive, Matthews, NC 28104, with a Memorial Service at 1:00PM , Saturday, March 2, 2019 at Brookdale Carriage Club, 5800 Old Providence Road, Charlotte, NC 28226

Contributions in Larry’s memory may be made to; St. John’s Baptist Church, 300 Hawthorne Lane, Charlotte, NC 28204 or to Hospice and Palliative Care, P.O. Box 470408, Charlotte, NC 28247.