Lawrence "Larry" Morosky

At the age of 94, Lawrence “Larry” Morosky passed from this life on June 14, 2024. Born August 16, 1929, in Erie, Pennsylvania, Larry was the son of the late William Morosky and Martha Samueloff Morosky. A life-time parishioner of the Russian Orthodox Church of the Nativity in Erie, he served as the church’s secretary from 1973 to 1975.

Larry attended Erie’s Technical High School, where he played three sports: football (1947 city champions), basketball, and wrestling. Upon high school graduation, he entered Gannon College and then served in the U.S. Army (1951-1953) during the Korean War. Larry was employed as a locomotive traffic manager at General Electric Company, retiring in 1989 after 41 years of dedicated service. While at GE, he served as the secretary of the Port Commission (1965-1973) and taught night classes at Gannon College in traffic and transportation procedures (1965-1968). An active member of Erie’s Traffic Club, he served as the organization’s president in 1976. While working at GE, Larry was asked and appointed to serve a vacated two-year term as an Erie City Council member. Upon his retirement from GE, Larry then served five years as executive director for Erie’s Port Authority (1989-1994), a position which kept him engaged and active in waterways transportation.

Larry, a lifetime member of Erie’s CYS Club, played for its slow pitch league during the 1960s and ’70s. He was a 60-year member of the Erie downtown YMCA, where he taught his sons how to swim and where he especially enjoyed weekly handball matches with life-long friends (who are now departed) Snooky Biletnikoff, Sauser Litowkin, John Zuravleff, and Lenny Ekimoff, as well as others.

A sports enthusiast his entire life, he loved taking his family on camping trips, introducing his children to many sports, and especially enjoyed swimming and biking as he got older. Nearing the age of 70, he entered his own personal triathlon, biking 104 miles at the Erie Peninsula, swimming 88 laps (one mile) at the YMCA, followed by walking 13 miles—one time around the Peninsula—a feat he accomplished in a single day. Larry, a lover of world history, was constantly reading and challenging himself to learn something new every day. He imparted that passion to all he came into contact with, including his grandchildren.

Over the years, Larry contributed many “Flashback” articles for the Erie Times newspaper that depicted life during the Great Depression, an era in which he grew up. Some of his special childhood stories were about selling newspapers at the age of six, shining shoes in Erie’s lower East Side neighborhood, and sticking pins at Blue Ribbon Bowling Alley, as well as writing chronicles about lifelong friendships he had with many Erie notables throughout his adult life.

Larry is survived by his loving wife of 69 years, the former Mary E. Bukowski of Erie, whom he married in 1955, and their four children and 11 grandchildren, including Bill (Crystal) Morosky of Millcreek and his two daughters, Lauren (Josh) Eckendorf and Emily (Marty) Roberts; Ron (Donna) Morosky of Pittsburgh, and their two children, Garrett and Yelena Morosky; Greg (Diane) Morosky of Fairview and their four children, Katie (Jeff) Sharp , Kim (Ryan) Pearson, Kelsey (Billy) Fessler, and Andrew Morosky; and Linda (Chet) Dudzinski of Pittsburgh, and their three children, Kyle (Meg) Dudzinski, Brittany (Mike) Morin, and Ryan Dudzinski, as well as their six great- grandchildren. Larry is also survived by his sister, Arlene “Gafia” Samano, of Millville, New Jersey, and his sister-in-law Diana (Wallace) Orloff of Erie, as well as many close nieces and nephews. Larry will be sorely missed by all who knew him, including his wonderful caregivers at St Mary’s nursing home.

Preceded in death were Larry’s brothers, Fred (and his wife, Evelyn “Ganya”) Orloff and Wallace Orloff, all of Erie.

For visitation hours, friends may call at the Russian Orthodox Church of the Nativity, 251 E. Front St., Erie, from 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM on Thursday, June 20th, and are invited to attend funeral services immediately following. Burial will be at St. John the Divine Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Russian Orthodox Church of the Nativity Endowment Fund. Funeral arrangements by Burton Quinn Scott Funeral Home, West Ridge, 3801 W.26th St., Erie.