Nashville, TN (TN Tribune)-Larry Alvin Jenkins passed away on December 19, 2020, in Lacey, Washington, at the age of 80. He was born in New Orleans, Louisiana to Kerney and Evelyn Jenkins. Larry grew up in Baton Rouge, where he graduated from Southern University Laboratory High School and briefly attended Southern University. He married Alma Barthelemy in 1961, and their union was blessed with two daughters.
Jenkins was a building contractor and carpenter, a bus driver for the North Thurston School District, and the founder of The Thurston Group of Washington State (TTGWS), a non-profit organization focused on encouraging local youth to pursue higher education. Working with colleges and universities nationwide, TTGWS has helped several hundred students obtain scholarships and get accepted into four-year institutions, including many Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
For his formal and informal work in education, Jenkins received numerous community and civic awards. With cherished memories he leaves his daughters, Rachel Evans (Darryl) and Larrie Henley; sisters, A. Barbara Clarkson (Virgil), Dianne Shelmire (Donald), and Janice Woodard (Nashville, TN.) ; four grandchildren, four nieces, two nephews, and many cousins and other relatives. He also leaves his beloved godsister, Rose Taylor (Clarence) and a host of devoted friends who were extended family. A memorial service will be held at Southern Memorial Gardens, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Friday, July 16, 2021.
