JUPITER, Fla. — Former TBC President, CEO and Chairman Lawrence C. "Larry" Day died Feb. 9 at age 71 after a brief illness.
Mr. Day, who joined TBC in 1998 and retired as chairman in 2004, was involved in wholesale, retail and franchise operations at TBC, the company behind well-known brands such as Tire Kingdom, Midas, Big O Tires and NTB.
Mr. Day was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Nov. 21, 1949, the son of the late Terence and Sylvia Day.
He met his future wife Susan in Johannesburg in 1971 and the couple moved to Boston in 1974 after a visit to the U.S. Mr. Day became a naturalized citizen on Valentine's Day 1995.
"A lifelong car enthusiast, Larry turned his passion for automobiles into a successful career, holding positions of leadership throughout the automotive industry for such organizations as Goodyear, Firestone, Montgomery Ward/Automotive Express, and Monro Muffler Brake," his obituary states.
"Those of us who were fortunate enough to work with Larry at TBC will always remember him as a true leader and a person who had the ability to inspire us all. He was kind, knowledgeable, hardworking, supportive, generous and an all-around great person," TBC CEO Erik Olsen said in a statement.
"He worked tirelessly to lead TBC throughout the years and continued to serve as a mentor to many of us throughout his retirement. Larry loved TBC and TBC loved Larry," Mr. Olsen said, noting his predecessor was an avid golfer.
Prior to joining TBC, Mr. Day was CEO of Monro Muffler Brake Inc. for nearly four years.
Mr. Day is survived by wife Susan Day; son Gregory Day (Joeleen); son Nicholas Day (Heather); grandchildren Maddox Morin, Noah Day, Charlie Day, and Harrison Day; sister Margaret Shepherd and husband Allan; nieces Geraldine, Christine, and Tracey; and nephew Bradley.
He was preceded in death by his brother Patrick and his nephew Terence.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Jupiter Medical Center Foundation at www.jmcfoundation.org or the South Florida PGA Foundation at www.sfpgagolf.com.