Larry Grosser

Larry Lee Grosser, age 76, of Columbia, Maryland passed away to be at home with the Lord, on August 15, 2016. Larry was born in Kalamazoo, MI to Gerald Grosser and Lucille (Westafer) Fitch on May 18, 1940. He attended Kalamazoo Central High School and Western Michigan University. He married Elizabeth R. (Polito) Grosser on December 9th, 1989 in Nevada. He graduated from Western Michigan University in 1962 with a B.S. in Political Science and Masters of Labor Law from Michigan State University. He was the youngest Candidate to run for Congress in 1970 while living in Dowagiac, MI. He taught History at Jenison Jr. High School in Jenison MI, Political Science at Southwestern Michigan College in Dowagiac. He dedicated his life's work to the rights and dignity of those in need of advocacy. He was the Director and Chief Negotiator for the Professional Staff Nurses Association (PSNA); and Labor Relations Consultant for Veterans Benefits Administration; appointed for a four year term by the Maryland Governor, Glen Dening, to serve on the Cost Review Commission. He coached high school tennis in the summers and won multiple tournaments as a USTA member. In high school, he was involved in ROTC and held many leadership positions and served in Michigan political state conventions. He is preceded in death by his grandparents, George L. and Elizabeth (Mosey) Grosser; father, Gerald R. Grosser; step-father, George Carmoney; uncles, Herold Grosser, Dwight R (Bus) Grosser, George R. Grosser, Henry Esman, Harold Frisbie, and Ronald Westafer; aunts, Pauline Grosser, Marjorie (Esman), Lucille Grosser, and Nephew, William R. Grosser, Jr. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth R. Grosser; daughters, Denise (Michael) Huska of North Carolina and Jodi L. Grosser of Maryland; step-sons, Sean and James Higgins of Maryland and Brian Higgins of Kentucky; sisters, Nancy (Butch-Fuller) of Sugarland, TX, Judith (Lloyd) Thompson and Kathy (Richard) Trahan both of Chauvin, LA; brothers, William R. Sr. and Sandy Grosser and David and Diane Grosser, both of Portage, MI; parents, Lucille (Robert) Fitch and step-mother, Nellie (Nap) Grosser; aunts, Phyllis Frisbie and Loraine Grosser; grandchildren, Madeline and Zachary Huska, Cody Gonzalez; step-grandchildren, Michael, Eric, Alexandra, Samantha, Miranda, Rebecca, Ryan, and Connor Higgins, and many nieces and nephews. A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held at the Oakland Mills Interfaith Center on Saturday, August 20th at 1:00 pm at 5885 Robert Oliver Place, Columbia, MD. Memorials in his name may be sent to The SPLC (Southern Poverty Law Center) 1-888-414-7752 www.splccenter.org The family of Larry Lee Grosser wishes to extend our sincere thanks to Howard County General Hospital and the dedicated Doctors and Nurses of the ICU that cared for him so tenderly. Larry Lee Grosser was a man of passion and conviction for those where justice needed his gifts of advocacy and negotiation. He left this world continuing to fight for all he believed in and those he served.