In the early morning of February 12, Lawrence (Larry) Odegard Sorli passed away from natural causes at the age of 94, while at CareOne long-term care facility in Lexington, MA.

Larry was born on March 29, 1921 in the Deaconess Hospital (now Emerson Hospital) in Concord, MA and was the only child of Norwegian immigrant parents Helga Odegard and Andrew Christiansen Sorli. He lived his entire life on the Sorli Farm at 1022/1081 Westford Street in Carlisle. He attended the Carlisle and Concord public schools and after graduating with an associate degree from the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at UMass Amherst in 1941, he took over the farming operations of his parents' farm. He married Marjorie V. Enger of Lowell in 1943 and built his house at 1081 Westford Street in 1947 where they brought up five children.

Larry focused the farm operation on egg production, building several poultry houses to contain as many as 8000 laying hens and selling eggs to wholesale buyers and on retail delivery routes that he established in Cambridge, Belmont and Watertown. In addition to the egg business, farm produce, fruits and berries were raised and sold at a roadside stand at 1022 Westford Street. A small herd of milking and beef cattle was kept for family consumption and sale at the livestock auction in Littleton.

In the early 1970s Larry wound down his poultry operation due to the widespread decline in the egg market. Not ready for retirement, he then worked as a carpenter part-time, cut and sold cordwood from his woodlots, and increased his herd of Angus beef cattle -- gradually converting his vegetable gardens and fruit orchards to hay fields to feed the cattle. He continued to maintain a garden plot to raise pumpkins, gourds, squash and strawberries as well as cultivating raspberry and blueberry bushes, selling the fruits of his labor at the roadside stand right up until his early 90s when he began to lose mobility. Many Carlisle residents know and remember Larry from interactions with him in the autumn when buying his pumpkins.

During his life, Larry held a variety of town offices. He was a member of the Board of Assessors for 34 years, a member of the Finance Committee and Board of Appeals, and also served as an auxiliary policeman, the town Field Driver, and Fence Viewer. He was chosen Carlisle's Most Honored Citizen in 1994.

Larry was preceded in death by Marjorie V. Sorli, his wife of 64 years, and his daughter Marjorie Ann Sorli. He is survived by four children: Cheryl and her husband Daniel Fouche of Lexington, Lawrence A. Sorli and his partner Gene DeLano of Carlisle, Steven Sorli of Shutesbury, and Karen Alexander of Carlisle; three grandchildren: David Fouche and his wife Dana, Andrew Alexander and Chase Alexander; and, great-granddaughter Cassidy Fouche.

In lieu of a funeral service, the immediate family will hold a private memorial ceremony for their beloved patriarch at a future date. Special thanks are extended to Carlisle's Council on Aging for its kind and helpful assistance and support during Larry's last years in his home, and to the Carlisle Conservation Foundation for working with the family in accordance with his wishes to preserve in perpetuity portions of the Sorli Farm. Memorial donations in the name of Lawrence O. Sorli may be made to those organizations (COA at 66 Westford St., & CCF at P.O.B. 300, Carlisle 01741) .