Loretta Alice Larzo

Loretta Alice Larzo, the heart of our family, the glue that held us all together, has been called Home by her Heavenly Father. She leaves us a legacy of unconditional love, strength, hard work ethic, generosity, kindness and devotion to God, family and friends.

She was a Boone County native and lived most of her life in Rumble. Her 89th birthday was only days away. At the time of her death, she was living in Florida with her daughters. Loretta was the daughter of the late Grady Dolin and Gaye Halstead Price. She was born in Foster, WV in a farmhouse owned by her maternal grandparents, Lee and Nancy Halstead. There she and her brother Troy grew up with other cousins and learned the value of hard work. The farm provided them with plenty of fresh meats and vegetables to sustain them through the lean years of the Great Depression. They had little material possessions, but were truly blessed with love and good role models who taught them the importance of working hard, taking care of family, sharing with others and loving God. Loretta spoke often of her love for these dear grandparents and growing up on that farm with extended family always near. Work on the farm was very hard, but they all shared the chores and reaped the benefits of their hard work. And she loved it all.

At the tender age of 16, Loretta married Raymond Larzo, the handsome son of Italian immigrants, Domenick and Amelia Larzo, or "Mom" and "Pop" as they were affectionately known as proprietors of the Larzo Grocery Store in Rumble. Here they raised four children; Vicki, Ernie, Mike and Denise. Her children were her pride and joy. She loved them fiercely and unconditionally, always put them first, gave them everything she could and devoted her life to caring for them.

After watching her grandmother Nancy prepare delicious homemade meals on the farm and later learning how to prepare Italian dishes from Mom Larzo, Loretta became an excellent cook in her own right. Her culinary skills became well known among her friends and neighbors. Every day, when her children came home from school, she had a piping hot meal on the table for them. Year after year, she was always on time. Her children looked forward to those delicious meals every day, so they made sure to be on time too.

Through the years, many of the children's friends would come to know the Larzos as their home away from home and Loretta as their second mom. She always welcomed them warmly as part of the family. She loved sharing her homemade dishes with them and other neighbors and friends throughout the years. She was even known to invite folks who came into the store and commented on the wonderful aromas coming from her kitchen, to sit down and enjoy a dish with her. She loved sharing her bounty with others and making them happy.

Her generosity knew no bounds. That extended to the neighborhood strays. She took in many dogs and cats over the years, fed them, took care of them and kept them safe. Apparently, they found a way to recommend her place to other strays, because they continued coming for many years. She always took care of them, never turning one away. She truly loved animals and they loved her. She always said that God put them on this earth to love and comfort us. And that's just what they did.

Loretta was a strong and independent woman of Irish descent. She was well known for her fiery red hair and freckles throughout most of her life. She always enjoyed kidding around with her friends, playing a joke on them or planning a big surprise. She loved to surprise people! But reminiscing was probably her favorite thing of all. She never got tired of talking about the good ole days, telling funny stories from the past and those she loved so much who were no longer with her. She also loved her West Virginia hills, but even when she strayed outside their bounds, one thing was for sure. You could take her out of the "country", but you could never take the "country" out of her! 

She worked in the family grocery store 7 days a week, usually till 10pm or later. She loved talking with people and never met a stranger. She would share recipes, tell stories to make them laugh, pass along the days' news and give advice on everything from life lessons, household repairs to medical and legal advice. And apparently it was good advice, because she would later learn just how much some of them appreciated her words of wisdom at a difficult time in their lives. This was her pleasure and her true calling -- helping others.

After nearly 40 years, she decided to try something new. She began working for families by taking care of their children and homes while they worked. She loved these families and their children, and they loved her. She worked well into her 70's and never planned to retire. She still had the energy and wanted to continue working. But eventually her health conditions slowed her down and she had to give it up. So then she and her friends would get together and go shopping, to revivals and concerts or just sit on the porch singing and enjoy each other's company. 

Through the years Loretta was blessed with 5 grandchildren and 2 great grandsons. Jessica, Nicholas and Natalie were born in Florida, so she made sure to be there for these special deliveries. Mikayla and Molly were born in nearby Charleston, so she was blessed to be near them throughout her life. Being a grandmother enriched her life and brought her tremendous joy. She loved them with all her heart and spoiled them in all the best ways. As a small child, her grandson Nicholas began calling her "Me-maw". This name stuck with her and became her moniker, not only for her grandchildren but many others as well. She even displayed a front license plate on her car proudly proclaiming the name "Me-maw". Thankfully, her 2 great grandsons Liam and Luka were born in Florida while she was living there with her daughters. So she was doubly blessed with meeting and spending time with the next generation of her family. 

Loretta was a faithful Christian who loved the Lord and trusted Him for her eternal salvation. She was baptized many years ago in the Big Coal River down by the old Ashford bridge. She was active in several churches in Rumble through the years. Unfortunately, when her health began declining some years ago, she was often unable to attend her church at Rumble Baptist. But even when her condition kept her home, she continued reading her Bible faithfully, praying and watching her favorite TV ministers, Charles Stanley and Jimmy Swaggart. She continued this ritual faithfully during her final years while living with her daughters. 

Loretta is survived by her children: Vicki Larzo, Deerfield Beach FL; Ernie (Brenda) Larzo, Ashford WV; and Denise (Doug) Larzo-Kirrstetter, Deerfield Beach FL; Grand-children: Jessica Larzo, Middleton FL; Nicholas (Jessica) Kingery, Delray Beach Fl; Natalie (Anthony) Salamone, Lake Worth FL; Mikayla Larzo, Huntington WV; Molly Larzo, Cross Lanes WV. Her first grandchild was Jessica, daughter of her beloved son Mike, who passed away years earlier. She remained grateful throughout her life to have his precious daughter to love and share his memories with. Great grandsons: Brothers Liam (22 months) and Luka Salamone (4 months), Lake Worth FL. Siblings: Wanda (Jack) Dotson, Talcott WV; Sherry (Gary) Mengeu, Scio OH; Dilford (Lavora) Price, Morgantown WV and many nieces, nephews and cousins.  

The family of Loretta invites you to join them in celebrating her life by sharing memories of her, laughing together and enjoying photos and other mementos of her life.

The service will be held at the Rumble Community Baptist Church on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 at 1pm. The Rev. Richard Harold will officiate. Following the service, you are invited to join the family in the Activities Building to share a light lunch and fellowship.  

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Rumble Community Baptist Church in memory of Loretta. For those who have a special memory or funny story to share, you are asked to write them down on the memory cards provided and place them in the collection box there. This will serve as a special keepsake for the family.