In Memoriam: Larry Struve
We share a letter from Vic Williams regarding the 4/15/2023 passing of Larry Struve, who was LEAN’s advocate for many years and was a lifelong member of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Reno. “He was know by many people at both ends of the state of Nevada as a tireless advocate for our state’s voiceless and underserved.“
We also share a link to Larry Struve’s book, “A Humble Walk For Justice,” in which he recounts his years as LAMN/LEAN advocate.
I am a longtime and current policy council member for Lutheran Engagement and Advocacy in Nevada (LEAN), an organization supported by both the Sierra Pacific Synod and Grand Canyon Synod for its work advocating for just and equitable legislation with the ELCA’s Social Statements as our guide. I thought I’d pass along a message I sent to current advocate Bill Ledford and my fellow council members regarding the April 15 passing of Larry Struve, who was LEAN’s advocate for many years and was a lifelong member of Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd in Reno.
Greetings Fellow LEANers,
I come to you with very sad and sobering news. Larry Struve, who was LAMN/LEAN’s guiding light and force for many years and is indeed the reason LEAN still exists, passed away earlier this week at age 80 due to a rare blood infection. His decline began around the Christmas holidays, and in recent weeks he weakened rapidly.
Though this was not unexpected, I am personally devastated. Larry was a mentor and a true follower of Christ, a man I will forever uphold as the model for what a Christian disciple can be. I last saw him and told him I loved him at Easter service at Good Shepherd, where he was, I believe, the one remaining member from the congregations earliest days — his parents were founding members when the church was established in 1947. His entire family was there, including his two daughters and the several grandchildren he and his late wife had helped raise.
In February I spent several hours over lunch with Larry, talking about many things, but primarily the power of faith to carry us through whatever fears, tribulations, setbacks and fleeting accomplishments punctuate our lives. He expressed great trepidation about leaving behind his grandson, Quinn, who is graduating from UNR in May and considered Larry his dad. In fact, knowing that the patriarch was leaving them, his family arranged an early graduation ceremony at Larry’s home, complete with Quinn in cap and gown, so grandpa/dad could rejoice in the milestone. Indeed, the celebration was held the day Larry passed.
Larry was LAMN’s legislative advocate for many years, coupling his deep faith with his decades of experience as an attorney and a state employee — including director of Nevada’s fledgling commerce department under Governor Richard Bryan, which led him to write the most recent of his three books, “Building Trust in Government.”
In his previous book, “A Humble Walk For Justice,” Larry recounts his years as LAMN/LEAN advocate, detailing our little but mighty organization’s successes, challenges and charges as advocates for “the least of these.” We follow his example to this day in the way we determine what bills to support or fight. I think of his tender smile and quietly forceful manner — and his relentless pursuit of justice in God’s name — every time I recount my many years serving on this council, which was, of course, at his invitation.
Please join me in praying for Larry as he meets his reward in heaven, and for his family as they move forward with a huge, unfillable hole in their lives — and ours.
Blessings to all in Larry’s loving memory,
Vic Williams
“O God of grace and glory, we remember before you our brother, Larry Struve. We thank you for giving him to us to know and to love as a companion in our pilgrimage on earth. In your boundless compassion, console us who mourn. Give us faith to see that death has been swallowed up in the victory of our Lord, Jesus Christ, so that we may live in confidence and hope until, by your call, we are gathered to our heavenly home in the company of all your saints; through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.”