Laurence Cone (Larry) was born to Laurence and May Cone in the family dairy in Thunderbolt Georgia (near Savannah). The dairy was lost in the Depression and the family of six (2 sons, 2 daughters) moved to New York in 1937. Laurence Senior found work in Brooklyn and the family lived in Freeport, Long Island.

Larry graduated Freeport High School in 1949 and attended Queens College in Flushing, NY to prepare for teaching English. Although he had a student exemption, he volunteered for the Draft and was inducted into the Army in 1953. After Basic and training in radio communication he was sent to Korea and posted to KMAG (Korean Military Advisory Group) and attached to the ROK 12th Infantry Division, with which he served for one year.

On returning to Civilian life, he no longer cared to teach but wanted still to be involved with the books he fell in love with from his childhood. He found work in a book manufactory and spent seven years learning typesetting, printing, binding, paper and book design.

He was invited to come to work at Harper Bros. Publishing as a production manager. From there he worked at several other publishers in a like capacity, until he retired in 1987. He and Margot relocated to Garden City, Idaho to be near his elder daughter, Janet, and her family, where he has made many friends in the neighborhood.

Larry loved life and lived it fully. He came from a large family with many aunts, uncles and cousins. In 1962 he married his wife, Margot, and they had to daughters, Janet and Ellen. They, in turn, each had a son and a daughter.

In addition to his family, Larry had many friends from both college and work. He loved the company of friends and family, good food and drink, and a healthy laugh - often Rabelaisian in nature. In his younger years, he was an ardent outdoorsman: a horseman, backpacker, a hunter, saltwater fisher and boater. In addition to the books to which he devoted much of his life he took deep pleasure in both classical and traditional folk music.

He left instructions for a simple cremation, with no funeral service but for a good dinner in his memory at his favorite restaurant for close family and a bagpiper. He will be buried in the family plot in Savannah.

He left this epitaph:

Laurence Cone

Husband and Father

Citizen Soldier

Printer and Publisher

He loved his family, his Country and the printed word

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