Lawrence Stankus passed away on January 16, 2023 in Jacksonville, Florida. “Larry” was born in Middletown on August 21, 1944. He grew up on the family farm on Brault Hill Road in Higganum and graduated from Middletown High School. Larry enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and was sent briefly to Vietnam, before being stationed in Ubon, Thailand as a Communication Center Operator. He was then stationed at SAC Headquarters in Nebraska where he was the shift NCOIC at its communications center when President Kennedy was assassinated. After completing his enlistment, he returned to Higganum and began attending CCSU, later graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting.
Larry worked at Jarvis Products in Middlefield and at Chesebrough Pond in Clinton. He later purchased Killingworth Country Hardware which he operated from the mid-1970’s to the late 1980’s. At the store he mentored and employed many young workers. It was during this period he began working as an accountant for friends and customers. He also started Connecticut Post and Beam with his brother Norman Bersing, which became a part of Heritage Colonial, Inc. As years progressed he focused his energy on accounting and earned his Enrolled Agent designation from the Internal Revenue Service. He ended all but his tax business (Shoreline Business Advisor) which he operated until approximately 2010. In semi-retirement he continued to do tax work, expanding into Georgia where he built a home. He earned a degree in Divinity studies and devoted much of his time to the Grace Church in Old Saybrook.
After moving permanently to Georgia, he opened another tax and consulting business. He also co-founded Psalms 1:12 (Homelessness Prevention) with Pastor Nancy Kornegay. Larry became Senior Warden at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Hinesville, Georgia. He was involved in many areas of the church where he eagerly assisted Rev. Vilar.
Larry was predeceased by his mother Beatrice (Brault) Bersing, stepfather Ed Bersing and his first wife Janet (Conant) Stankus.
Larry is survived by his wife Marie Cullen; his brothers Warren Bersing (Flavio Tinoco) and Norman Bersing (Paula Glenn); Sons Norman Ewing (Raquel) and Matthew Ewing (Marisol); and grandchildren Jillian, Joseph and Matthew (II) Ewing.
A funeral mass was held at St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Hinesville, Georgia and was laid to rest at Glennville Veterans Cemetery with military honors on January 20, 2023. To share a memory, please visit carteroglethorpe.com.
