Lawrence E. “Larry” Hornbake, 86, of Gettysburg, died on Aug. 16, 2022, with his family by his side. He was the husband of Helen Fritz Hornbake for 52 years. Born Jan. 7, 1936, in Belle Vernon, he was the son of the late Francis and Ethelreda Darker Hornbake. Surviving, in addition to his wife, are his two sons, Lawrence E. Hornbake Jr. and his wife Solange of Annandale, Va., and Brendan Hornbake of Mineral Wells, Texas; and one grandson, Cameron James Hornbake. He is also survived by one sister, Marcella Severyn and husband Walter of Pittsburgh; as well as several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister, Mary Elizabeth Maguire; and two brothers, George Hornbake and Robert Hornbake. Larry graduated from Rostraver High School, Class of 1954, and California (Pa.) State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial arts. He also graduated from Clarion (Pa.) State University with a master’s degree in communications. He was an Air Force veteran, having served as a bombing and navigation technician with the Strategic Air Command in 1954-58. He was a Cistercian monk at Our Lady of New Melleray Abbey in Peosta, Iowa. He taught industrial arts in McLean, Va., and was the assistant director of the Clarion Manor Intermediate Unit Instructional Materials Service and later the director of the Instructional Materials Service with Lincoln Intermediate Unit in New Oxford, Pa. He was a member of the Pennsylvania Instructional Materials Directors Association. In 1980, he founded Gettysburg Rental Center with his wife. They owned and operated that business for 32 years before retiring. He also owned and operated a tour center and an alpaca breeding farm in Gettysburg. He obtained a private pilot’s license while in the Air Force and was one of the original founders of the Gettysburg Aero Club. He loved flying and flew his Aquila Ultralite airplane over Gettysburg and the surrounding area for several years. He and his wife were avid campers, traveling throughout the United States in their RV. Larry’s life was centered on his family and his faith. He was a devoted husband and father, and he cherished every minute with his sons, Larry Jr. and Brendan, and his extended family, especially his grandson, Cameron. Devoted throughout his life to the sanctity of all human life, he began the annual Gettysburg Life Chain with Helen in 1993. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at St. Mary’s Church in Fairfield, Pa., at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 23, 2022, with the Reverend Peter DiTomasso officiating. Following Mass, graveside services will be held at St. Francis Xavier Cemetery in Gettysburg. Visitation will be held at MONAHAN FUNERAL HOME in Gettysburg on Monday, Aug. 22, 2022, from 6 to 8 p.m. and again at the church one hour before the funeral. The funeral will be livestreamed at www.facebook.com/stmarysfairfieldpa/ and at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiFR49aOllvDF8UrvfQhL7A. In lieu of flowers, donations made be made in Larry’s memory to Catoctin Pregnancy Center, 502 E. Main St., Emmitsburg, MD, 21727, or Tender Care Pregnancy Center, 1844 York Road, Gettysburg, PA 17325.
