Larry Glen Loots

Larry Glen Loots, 75 years old, transitioned from this world to the next on Friday, February 7, 2025. He died at Baptist Hospital in Pensacola, Florida, following an emergency abdominal surgery with medical complications. He was surrounded by family, and the staff of Emerald Coast Hospice provided comfort in his final hours.

Larry was born on May 18, 1949, in Clinton, Iowa to the late Florence Evelyn Eversoll of Clinton, Iowa and the late Robert Vernon Loots of Clinton, Iowa. He grew up in Clinton, Iowa, and joined the Navy during his senior year of high school. His last duty station was LST-1191, the USS Racine, which was a landing base for helicopters. He served as onboard mechanic and door gunner on a Huey helicopter patrolling the Mekong Delta as part of the so-called “Brown-water Navy.” During a flight to rescue members of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), his Huey was shot down by a rocket-propelled grenade. Larry was very critically injured and spent a year in Naval Hospital Philadelphia. Following medical discharge from the Navy, he rehabilitated himself in the surf of the Atlantic Ocean on Daytona Beach to the point that he was able to pass the physical to become a police officer. He served with the Volusia Sheriff’s Department for a few years before returning to Clinton, Iowa where he got a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and spent 15 years as an officer with the Clinton Police Department. After retiring, he moved to Orlando, Florida and trained in the Disney Culinary Program. He subsequently worked for Disney, Marriott, and eventually with Harrah’s Casino in Omaha, Nebraska, where he was Chef de Cuisine for their fine dining restaurant. The rigors of food service eventually became too much for him to handle, given his war injuries. He retired to Pensacola, Florida, where he met and married Sarah Cedelas Hall.

Larry loved shopping for ingredients and cooking. He also loved travel and history, and he was very keen on a river cruise from Paris to Normandy that he was planning for himself and his wife. Because he knew them from birth, he claimed three of his step-granddaughters and three of his step great-grandchildren as his own. They knew him as “Pappy,” and he was an important figure in their lives. He took them camping with their grandmother, spoiled them with sweets, had them dress up as hot dogs, let them boss him around, and taught them some basic cooking skills.

Larry is survived by his wife of 11 years, Sarah Cedelas Hall of Pensacola, Florida, his nephews Joshua Robert Christiansen of Clinton, Iowa, Jason Aaron Christiansen of Clinton, Iowa, Bill Cady (Jennifer) of Clinton, Iowa, Brian Cady of Albany, Illinois, his niece Pamela Sue Peters (Brad) of Clinton, Iowa, 5 great-nieces and great-nephews, his step-children, Kara Frances Bowman (Scott) of Zachary, Louisiana, Brenna Charlene LeJeune (Jason Bellardi) of Fairfield, Ohio, and Jaie Ronson LeJeune (Amie Kitchen) of Ponchatoula, Louisiana, his sisters-in-law Risha Janene Brumfield (Max) of Jackson, Louisiana and Phyllis Haynes Hall of Catahoula, Louisiana, brother-in-law Kelvin Darius Hall (Rebecca) of Mandeville, Louisiana, 9 step-grandchildren, and 4 step-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his mother Florence Evelyn Eversoll of Clinton, Iowa, his father, Robert Vernon Loots of Clinton, Iowa, his sister Royann Marie Cady of Clinton, Iowa, and his sister Susan Kathleen Christiansen of Clinton, Iowa.

 A celebration of his life will be held on Sunday, March 9, 2025, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at his home, 1700 E. Maxwell St., Pensacola, Florida. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to Emerald Coast Hospice, 2190 Airport Blvd, #2850, Pensacola, Florida 32504.