Lawrence “Larry” Arthur Blanchard

Lawrence “Larry” Arthur Blanchard, age 96 passed away on Saturday, December 20, 2025, in Lindale, Texas. He was born on January 22,1929, in Baytown, Texas to the late Cyril Pierre and Ora Beatrice (Murdoch) Blanchard. Larry was a lifelong resident of Texas, living in Lindale for the last 44 years. In his early years he served his county in the United States Navy as a Tin Can Sailor in the South China Sea, met and married the love of his life in 1951 and became a child of God in 1956. For 17 years, Larry was an aircraft electrician installing aircraft equipment for Collins Radio, as a Lead and then as Foreman. This led to becoming the owner/operator of Blanchard Heating and Electrical and Blanchard Electrical.

Larry was a member of First Baptist Church of Lindale since 1981 where he served as an active deacon over 4 decades. He also received a Mission Service Corps appointment from the Texas Baptist Home Mission Board and was assigned to the Texas Baptist Men as Director of Upward Bound, a missionary program for wayward boys, and the TBM Disaster Relief Mass Feeding Program. For more than 25 year he took teams around the world to wherever there was a disaster demonstrating Christ to people in crisis.

Larry was a Master Mason for 67 years and served at the state level as Chaplain of the Memorials Committee in 2009 and Grand Chaplain for Texas in 2003.

Larry was preceded in death by his sister, Barbara Rhodes.

He is survived by his wife of 74 years, Patsy Jane Blanchard of Lindale; children, Audrey Adams and husband, Randy of Cedar Hill, Janet Muhney and husband, Michael of Argyle, Samuel Blanchard of Lindale, and Aaron Blanchard and wife, Shannon of Lindale. Larry had 7 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandchild.

He will be missed. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be sent in Larry’s name to Hospice of East Texas, 4111 University Blvd. Tyler, TX 75701.

A celebration of life will be held on February 7 at 2 p.m. at First Baptist Church, 103 E Van St, Lindale, TX 75771.