- Date Of Birth: June 12, 1938
- Date Of Death: December 10, 2017
- State: Colorado
Lawrence Gerald Doolen, 79, passed away peacefully on December 10, 2017 at home in Centennial, Colorado. He was born on June 12, 1938 in Glenwood Springs, Colorado to Lawrence Oran Doolen and Grace Nicholson Doolen. Larry spent his early years in Glenwood Springs and moved to Colorado Springs at the age of nine where his father was the head of the Colorado State Patrol. In 1949, his father was transferred to Canon City to become Deputy Warden of the state penitentiary. He graduated from Colorado Springs High School in 1955. After high school, he attended Colorado College and transferred to University of Denver where he received both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Business Administration. Upon graduation, Larry helped his father with the family “soda-pop” business running the delivery routes and growing sales. He then later, went to work for a large carbon dioxide company that allowed him to start a beverage company that blended many famous flavors for others in the business. After selling this business, buying it back, building it again, to sell it once again, Larry tried his hand at several other businesses. He went on to start a dry ice manufacturing company based in Colorado that became the largest one of its kind–servicing several states in the Rocky Mountain Region. During this time, he went back to University of Denver and received his Juris Doctorate proudly exclaiming that he finished in the top 95% of his class and subsequently passed the Colorado State Bar Exam. After selling this company in 1992, he successfully took to buying and building distressed businesses along with his sons who learned from him along the way. He retired in 1999 after successfully turning around a small apparel company and selling it to one of the biggest uniform manufacturers in the racing business. Very few people know it, but Larry had a storied background having raced in the Pike’s Peak Hill Climb for many years. He had a sense of humor that when combined with his wit made for some very interesting conversations with those he met and loved along his journey. He faithfully served in the Prison Ministries program and in Gideon’s International. Larry is survived by his spouse, Janet, of Centennial, Colorado; his sons Doug (Heather) Doolen of Charlotte, NC; Shaun Doolen of Centennial, Colorado; and Todd Doolen of Denver, Colorado; and his three beautiful grandchildren that he loved and cherished: Hannah, Sarah and Rachel Doolen.
