The Reverend Dr. Larrimore C. Crockett, 92, died in his home in Dummerston, Vermont on September 10, 2025, surrounded by family.
Larry was born March 2, 1933 in Aurora, IL, and spent his early years living in the Midwest. The son of the Reverends Barney C. Crockett and Olga Winter Crockett, he carried the family’s ministerial tradition into a long and respected career as a religious scholar and beloved preacher in the United Church of Christ. After completing seminary at Chicago Theological Seminary he was ordained to the Christian ministry in 1957 in Dummerston, Vermont. He divided his time serving church communities in Vermont and Rhode Island, earning a Ph.D. from Brown University in 1966, where he also served as Chaplain.
In the early 1970s he was Associate Professor of Religion at Keuka College (Keuka Park, NY), and Visiting Professor of Religion at Lawrence University (Appleton, WI). In 1973 Larry moved with his family back to Vermont where they built a home on the side of Black Mountain in Dummerston, a place he loved very much. Between 1973 and 1994, he enjoyed a rich employment experience in area churches and higher education. He taught and served in administrative roles at Windham College and Southern Vermont College. He served the Vermont Conference of the United Church of Christ, as Moderator of the Windham-Union Association. He helped create the Vermont Academy of Spiritual Training (VAST), and served on its faculty for several years. In later years he was the Pastor-in-residence at Chicago Theological Seminary and adjunct faculty at Bangor Theological Seminary.
In 1980 he was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Humanities by the College of St. Joseph, Rutland (VT) in recognition of his contributions to higher education in Vermont. From 1985-1997 he was Assistant Minister of the Guilford Community Church, serving with his wife, Shirley, who was the minister. This partnership and ministry in Guilford was one of the most satisfying experiences of his life and led to his writing a history of the Guilford Church, Safe Thus Far, which was published by Black Mountain Press in 1998 and dedicated to Shirley. He subsequently published books of Shirley’s children stories, The Mended Cup (2003), I Invite the Children to Come Forward (2010), her pastoral prayers, Be Present Here (2008) and several volumes of family history.
Larry enjoyed researching and writing about his understanding of religious thought and published articles in academic journals throughout his early life. Later, he turned to writing about people who had an impact on his life and in 2010 he wrote and published a history of the Blanche Moyse Chorale, More Than Thirty Years of Glorious Sound. For over seventeen years he maintained this blog at vividreports.blogspot.com. His sermons were grounded in scholarly research but he was able to convey his messages of radical love, inclusion, and forgiveness through language and stories that connected meaningfully to his parishioners’ lives. Larry continued to be active in local congregations for the entirety of his life. His kindness, his thoughtful manner, and his sincere interest in others were blessings to all who knew him.
One of Larry’s greatest passions in life was his love of music. He served as director of church choirs in Guilford and Dummerston and brought his resonant bass voice to many music projects in the region. He was a longtime member of the Blanche Moyse Chorale and participated in several world music groups such as The River Singers where he met his second wife, Ellen Tolles. On June 19, 2005 they were married and embarked on a musical adventure with their shared passion. Immersed in a loving church and music community they explored multiple genres of choral music from classical pieces to hymns and traditional folk song and brought comfort to people in Hospice care, senior homes, and hospitals through their work with the Hospice-related chorus, Hallowell.
Larry was active in his community, serving on several boards in the Brattleboro Area including Brattleboro Hospice, the Brattleboro Music Center and Sojourns Community Health Clinic. He was deeply concerned about local, national and world issues. He participated in the Selma-Montgomery March in 1965, was a frequent participant in anti-Vietnam war demonstrations in the 1960s and 1970s and supported environmental and sustainability issues.
He was predeceased by Shirley Harris Crockett, his wife of 43 years; his brother Stewart Crockett of Elgin , IL; and his daughter, Betsey Crockett Shay. In addition to his wife, Ellen, he is survived by his son, John Crockett (Cynthia Hughes), of Westminster West, VT; his granddaughter, Katherine “Katie” Shay of St. Louis, MO; several nieces and nephews and their families; and, through Ellen, a large family of children, grandchildren and siblings.
Larry found his highest fulfillment in caring for and nurturing others, both individually and in organizations, through his beloved family, his many friends, his vocation as a minister, teacher, counselor and administrator, his community involvement, and through his singing. His family extends their deepest gratitude to those who brought Larry delight and peace in his last days through companionship and song.
Details of services
A music-filled service of remembrance and celebration will be held for Larry at 2:00 PM on Saturday, November 15, 2025 at Centre Congregational Church in Brattleboro, VT. A reception will follow at the Guilford Community Church in Guilford, VT.
