Requiem for John Larney

John Larney has been volunteering to serve his country ever since he joined the United States Navy and served proudly aboard the USS Brush, DD745, in the Gulf of Tonkin during the Vietnam conflict.

I first began working with John some thirty years ago when my eldest son moved up from Cub Scouts to Boy Scout Troop 108 where John was the Committee Chairman. John had already been volunteering in Scouting for many years and it did not take me long to realize the wisdom of following his every suggestion on planning and executing Scouting programs.

Naturally, John was not satisfied to volunteer only as Committee Chair and had also taken up the role of Advisor for the honor Scout program known as the Order of the Arrow at the Old Colony Council. He volunteered in many other Scouting programs including Vice President of Camping and President of the Council where he helped get the Council back on a solid financial footing.

John was also a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1526 Medway for more than thirty years. Since John was not only always volunteering, he was also always working hard to get others to volunteer and soon got me to join him as a member of the Post.

When Old Colony Council merged with another Council resulting in too many people holding the same position, John took the opportunity to slip away and redouble his work with the Post. When the Post Quartermaster decided to retire, John did not hesitate to volunteer for the job. And job it is. It requires just about one day a week at the Quartermaster office taking care of memberships, finances, account management and giving direction to the Post building management.

But that was still not enough volunteering for John so he took on the role of Service Officer to help all service veterans in Medway get the help they needed through the Veterans Administration and other available services. He also took on the role of encouraging high school students and senior Scouts to seek available VFW scholarships and compete in the Voice of America program.

Even that was not enough volunteering and so he soon put his name forward for Department of Massachusetts State Quartermaster. That is yet another day or two at the office but not in Medway. That office requires going to the State House in Boston.

Who knows what else John would have volunteered to do next but the good Lord decided he had done enough and called him home.

I am sure that when John arrived at the Pearly Gates and met St. Peter, John would have just one question: "Are there any volunteer service opportunities in heaven?"

May God bless you and keep you and give you rest John Larney.

by Wayne Marshall, Post 1526 Chaplain