Larry Rescoe, philanthropist, inventor, businessman and community leader, was welcomed through heaven’s gates on December 9, 2021. If you knew Larry, you know he loved to sing and will be singing in the Heavenly Choir.
Join the family in Celebration of his Life: Visitation/ Reception: Sunday, December 12, from 2:00-4:00 PM at Becker Funeral Home, 806 W. Minneola Ave., Clermont. Memorial Service: Monday, December 13, 4:00 PM, First United Methodist Church, 950 7th St., Clermont.
Larry, a U.S. Army Veteran, was an active member of the First United Methodist Church of Clermont. He was also an active supporter of the Community Foundation of South Lake, South Lake Chamber of Commerce, Clermont Historic Village, Lions Club, Cornerstone Hospice, Kiwanis Club of Clermont, Find, Feed and Restore, and FAITH Neighborhood Center.
Rescoe moved to Clermont over 22 years ago from Weidman, Michigan with his wife Jeanette (now deceased). Since then, he has made endless contributions to the South Lake Community by serving on numerous non-profit boards, volunteering his time, management expertise and by making consistent monetary donations to numerous local non-profits.
Though retired, Rescoe remained very active. He worked part-time for the State of Florida as a Park Ranger and a Fire Ranger at Lake Louisa State Park, along with numerous projects for Walt Disney World and Universal Studios, such as the redesign of the Jaws ride and the design of the Spiderman ride at Islands of Adventure.
He devoted two and a half years of his time and expertise rebuilding the Kern House at the Clermont Historic Village. With help from the late Clermont Councilmember Ray Goodgame, he got the World War Two Quonset Hut Museum rebuilt. He also built the little schoolhouse with Jim Briggs, Nick Jones, the late Jack Ulch and several other volunteers.
FNC Exc. Dir. Patricia Kry, Lion Larry Rescoe (also on the FNC Board), and Lion Dan Strauss).
Kathy Smith, Executive Director of the Community Foundation of SL described Larry as the definition of a philanthropist, a person who seeks to promote the welfare of others, especially by the generous donation of money to good causes.
In 2019, Larry was chosen as Philanthropist of the Year. He accepted the recognition with humility, stating, “I am honored to receive this award. God commands us to give 10% of our income to help his work. I have given my time and money, knowing that I can’t give enough. God has given me my talents for a reason–to help others.”
Rescoe grew up in a very poor family environment where the mom 
was a housekeeper and his dad was a laborer with the railroad, a painter and a school bus driver. Rescoe worked on their farm milking cows and doing farm chores. He had no money for college, so halfway through his senior year in high school, he enlisted in the Army. He then started his career working with ASA in Army Intelligence, NSA and the CIA. On one important mission, he got caught in a life-threatening typhoon while in the China Sea near Okinawa. Believing he was about to die, he prayed to be saved so he could serve others. By barely making it out alive to an island, he felt God had a reason and purpose for miraculously saving his life. This mission stayed with him as it guided his life’s goal to give back what God gave him to help other people.
After the military, he studied dentistry at the University of Detroit. He then worked as a consultant and educator in the field of dentistry. He quickly became a very successful entrepreneur and a self-taught inventor for the dental industry. He also studied electrical engineering.
In 1991, he opened two very successful manufacturing companies with the electrical, mechanical, and engineering expertise he developed. Rescoe helped set the government standards for solar power to support HVAC systems. He invented and built many complex devices, like a throttle actuator for diesel engines. He invented and built the world’s strongest magnets to help clean the environment. He built 30 professional buildings and the list of over-the-top accomplishments goes on.
LOR Manufacturing (LOR: Lawrence Oliver Rescoe) remains a leader in industrial system integration and radio controls. LOR builds the world’s strongest permanent head pully magnets for corporations such as John Deere, Caterpillar, Cummins, Mobark and Bandit. LOR products and engineers are often featured on the Discovery Channel’s hit show Myth Busters. LOR Manufacturing is internationally respected and still builds industrial magnets with master control systems for major companies across the globe.
Rescoe eventually gave each of the two manufacturing plants to his two daughters, their husbands, and his sales manager. Even though he has not been involved in any of the day-to-day operations for years; his children have kept his companies as tremendously successful ventures by more than doubling the size and revenues for each one.
Rescoe met Toni Bell at the 2017 Taste of South Lake event. Toni is a retired teacher who taught English, speech and drama at Clermont High School for 35 years. Her friend Michelle Delaney immediately knew Toni and Larry were a perfect match. She told Toni to ask him out. Eventually, Toni took Michelle’s advice and asked him to a Christmas party. It was a match made in heaven. There was a fairy tale wedding. The rest is history.
Toni says, “Larry really was a wonderful, caring, sincere and loving man!” He enjoyed driving around Clermont in his antique 1930 Model A Ford.
Larry will be missed by so many.
(Article and Pictures by Larry Oskin and Michelle Delaney)
