Judge Larry Glenn Smith , 90, passed peacefully away at home with his family on June 4, 2015. Visitation will be held at Wilson Funeral Home, Saturday, June 6, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and on Sunday, June 7, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Panama City. The funeral will be held on Sunday, June 7 at 2:00 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church with interment following at Kent-Forest Lawn Cemetery. Active pallbearers will be his grandsons and other family members. Honorary pallbearers will be Judges and other members of the Legal community. Those desiring may make memorial donations to the First United Methodist Church or your favorite charity in memory of Judge Smith.

Larry and Emmalyn were married for 67 years and have three children, each born in Panama City: daughter, Cynthia Lynn; son Larry Glenn, Jr., (Gay); and daughter, Celia Dell (Roy) Rudolph. Larry and Emmalyn (Lyn) have 5 grandchildren: Lindsey and Cameron Smith, and Rory (Amee), Glenn, and Joe Rudolph.

Larry had one brother, Norman (Margie) deceased, and is survived by two sisters, Martha Finch (Mack, deceased) and Betty Gilbert (Hiram, deceased). He is also survived by a sister-in-law, Celia (Bill) Anderson. Other relatives include Kay Lee Wright (Jim Sheetz) and Ruby Hassel (Mike).

Nephews and nieces are as follow: Nat Smith (Joyce), Gary Smith, Donna Smith (Scott) Burt, Barbara Finch, Dallas Finch (Marcia), Greg Gilbert (Cathy), Nathan Gilbert (Kim), Paul Gilbert (Rhonda), Cathy Cutcliffe Pilcher, Claire Cutcliffe (Clifford) Cole and Tec Cutcliffe.

Larry Glenn Smith was born August 6, 1924, in Montgomery, Alabama, to Louise Norman and A.N. (Alonzo Nathan) Smith. The family moved to Pensacola, Florida in 1925, where Larry spent most of his formative years. In 1938, they moved to Panama City when A. N. Smith bought Van Kleek Hardware and Lumber Co. from Mrs. Van Kleek. As a teenager, Larry worked for his Dad at Van Kleek. He recalled having taken a truck full of the first building supplies to Tyndall Air Force Base.

After graduating from Bay County High School in 1942, Larry attended the University of Alabama. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in December of that year, and eventually served as a Navy pilot, flying the Corsair fighter aircraft. After WWII, he returned to the University of Alabama and courted his future wife, Emmalyn Murphree, whom he had first met the previous summer on Panama City Beach at a church retreat. They married on February 28, 1948, and moved to Gainesville, Florida. Larry entered Law School at the University of Florida and received his Florida law degree. Although he began his law career in 1949, Larry continued to serve in the Naval Reserve until 1958. In 1956, he and close friend Beeman Ruthven were each flying a Corsair to a Naval aircraft salvage yard in Phoenix, Arizona. Due to aircraft malfunction, Larry's plane crashed on take-off at the Birmingham Airport. He survived the plane crash and later recovered from severe burns on his face and hands.

In 1949, Larry started a private law practice in Panama City. From 1953-57, he worked for the firm Mathis and Mathis, also in Panama City. Larry was appointed Assistant State Attorney (14th Circuit) with State Attorney John Adam. From 1958- 60, the family moved to Tallahassee while Larry served as Assistant to the Florida Supreme Court under Chief Justice Campbell Thornal. From 1960-64, the family lived in Orlando, as Larry was a partner in the law firm of Baker, Baker, and Smith. Always wanting to return to Panama City, Larry took the opportunity in 1964 to do so when he joined the firm, Isler & Welch (later, becoming Isler, Welch, Smith, Higby, Bryant, Brown, Daniels).

From 1972-79, Larry served as Judge on the 14th Judicial Circuit. In 1979 he was appointed by Governor Bob Graham to the First District Court of Appeal of Florida, where he served until his retirement in 1994. During his tenure on the DCA, he served as Chief Justice from 1987-89. After retirement from the First District Court of Appeal, Larry continued to serve as a substitute judge until 2005.

Judge Smith serving volunteer and professional organizations has always been very important to Larry. His influence through charitable and legal activities is far-reaching in the community and in the state. He was a charter member and the first president of the Exchange Club of Panama City. He served as a Member of the Florida Bar Board of Examiners from 1967-72, President of the Florida Conference of District Court of Appeals Judges from 1986-87, and as an Instructor for the course, "We the People" with Education Encore at Gulf Coast State College from 2004 to 2011. Larry also served as a member of the Bay County Bar, the Florida Bench and Bar, the Tallahassee Bar, St. Andrews Bay American Inn of Court, and the American Judicature Society. Local volunteer organizations served by Larry include the Panama City Airport Authority and the Bay County Library Association, of which he is a past president. He was a valuable member of the Kiwanis Club of Panama City, and is credited for instituting the Kiwanis Law Day programs. He was longtime member First United Methodist Church of Panama City.

Committed to physical fitness and health, Larry was always very active throughout his life. In his early years, he was quarterback at Bay County High School with Coach Tommy Oliver. While in college, he played trap drums in dance bands. Later, Larry engaged his family in outdoor sports and in camping trips, hiking, boating, water skiing, sailing, jogging, motorcycle riding and snow-skiing. He had a deep love for nature, and for the outdoors, becoming an avid photographer of nature and his family. He was a member of the St. Andrews Bay Yacht Club of Panama City, where he enjoyed meeting with friends and participating in special events. He and Emmalyn have traveled extensively throughout America, as well as internationally.

Judge Smith (Larry) will be remembered and cherished for the many lives he has touched with kindness and generosity, and the many lasting contributions of service to his community, profession, and country. He was a true Renaissance man in the physical, spiritual, and intellectual sense. His lifelong example of fairness and integrity in all aspects of his life are his legacy.