Marlborough – Lawrence (Larry) E. Midura, 68, died unexpectedly Sunday, Nov. 26, 2017. His untimely death was instant and painless and happened while spending time outdoors on a beautiful autumn day with one of his best friends.
He was born on Long Island and grew up in the coastal village of Island Park, New York, where he fell in love with the ocean at a young age. When not spending his formative years near the water, he could often be found playing pool and making friends wherever he went.
After graduating from Oceanside High School in 1967, he entered the US Air Force where he received much of the computer training that set him on a lifelong path working and playing with the newest technology he could get his hands on. While stationed at Westover A.F.B in Massachusetts in 1970, he fell in love with a beautiful and groovy girl, and then married her three months later in a simple ceremony on base. Larry was transferred to Spokane, joined by his wife, a pet kinkajou, and a rather trim mustache above his lip. The kinkajou has long since been forgotten, but both the marriage and the mustache blossomed over the following decades.
After being honorably discharged, his family grew with the addition of a daughter followed by a son a few years later. California sunshine and the technology industry brought him to the West Coast where he continued his work as a computer software engineer. A desire to be closer to family, and the opportunity to work for Digital Equipment Corporation brought him back to Massachusetts in 1979, where he settled his family in the Marlborough home where he was still living, even celebrating Thanksgiving together with his family there just last week.
His Marlborough adventures, along with those in the DEC offices, made him fast friends with neighbors and co-workers alike. He indulged his wife’s wish for a farm by keeping a cow, chickens, goats and many other critters on the property. Long time neighbors remember seeing Larry chasing Daisy the cow down Ash Street, usually in the pre-dawn hours, in an attempt to lure her back home after her frequent escape attempts.
The property in Marlborough was always a joy to Larry no matter the season, and despite the work involved. In the snowiest winters, he would create epic 1000′ sled runs in the snow for his son or drain the battery on his tractor using its lights to illuminate their small pond so his daughter could go ice skating at night.
Larry’s own hobbies ranged from playing pool and photography to gardening and going to the ocean. His continued interest in computer engineering led him on further work adventures before ultimately returning to work for HP with many of the same people he had known from his days at Digital. In his last position, he had opportunities to travel to Lichtenstein, India, and Hong Kong and while he loved visiting new places he was even more excited to return to his family and share the stories and souvenirs he brought back.
Following the untimely death of his wife in 2014, he found love and friendship for the second time with a lovely woman while continuing to enjoy spending as much time as possible with his children. He enjoyed spending his retirement caring for the property in Marlbrough and being excited to plant and maintain the extensive gardens each spring. He kept in touch with lifelong friends and made new friends wherever he went. His presence, humor, love, and friendship will be sorely missed, but never forgotten.
Larry was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia (Dawson), and his parents, Dorothy (Hemmer) and Peter Midura. He is survived by his daughter and fiance, Carrie Midura and Tom Fitzgerald of Billerica; his son, Pete Midura of Burlington; his brother, Robert Midura of Shirley, N.Y.; and his girlfriend, Elaine Hansen.
Visiting hours will be held Saturday, Dec. 2, from 2-5 p.m., at the Slattery Funeral Home, Inc., 40 Pleasant St., Marlborough.
