Lawrence Owen Taggett Jr

Lawrence Owen Taggett, Jr., “Larry” to all his friends and family, passed away in Kissimmee, Florida, on April 24, 2024, with his wife and son at his side.  Larry was born on October 14, 1955, to Blanche Taggett and Larry Taggett, Sr. in Kissimmee, and he grew up there on Clay Street.  He was active in sports from his Kissimmee Little League days where he played baseball for the First Federal team, continuing with baseball through high school where he played for Osceola High, although he said nothing was more fun than slow pitch softball in college on a team with friends called “the Mamas Boys” (an accurate name for Larry).  Larry graduated from Berry College in Rome, GA, and his experiences on the beautiful Berry campus formed the basis of many hilarious stories he shared throughout his life. After college and a memorable experience working for a statewide political campaign, he returned to Kissimmee and joined the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, where he served nearly two decades, eventually rising to the rank of Major.  Of his various positions at the Sheriff’s Office, he most loved his challenging work as a detective.  His time in law enforcement also provided ample material for many classic Larry stories, some funny and others scary.  Of his professional endeavors, Larry was most proud of Kangaroo Couriers, the business that he co-founded in 1991 and ran for many years.  Kangaroo grew from a tiny operation with one delivery van to eventually having clients all over the state, and continues to operate today, 33 years later.  More important to Larry than his work, however, were his family and friends.  From a young age, Larry had close relationships with his parents, Blanche and Larry Sr., and they remained close until their deaths in 1995 and 2007, respectively.  He loved his wife, Tina, and his only child, Ryan, and could not say enough about how proud he was of them.  His newest sources of pride were his daughter-in-law, Sarah, a fellow entrepreneur, and his first grandchild, Charlotte (“Charlie”), born in August 2023. Larry also made many friends and could hardly go anywhere in Kissimmee without bumping into one. To anyone he met, Larry was ready to offer a smile and one of his trademark jokes, and he would often have complete strangers cracking up. In retirement, he treasured peaceful time outside in the Florida sunshine, watering plants and working with Tina in their yard, but he also enjoyed the energy of big cities like D.C. and New York, where he would visit Ryan. In addition, Larry devoted much time and effort in retirement to caring for stray pets and animals with Tina. His family and friends will miss his humor, intelligence, kind heart, and loyalty, among many other qualities.
He is survived by his wife of nearly 40 years, Tina, of Kissimmee, as well as his son, Ryan, daughter-in-law, Sarah, and granddaughter, Charlie, each of Brooklyn, NY.
Funeral services for Larry will be 3:00 P.M on Friday, May 3, 2024, at Roger C. Thompson Memorial Chapel, Conrad Thompson Funeral Home. Visitation will be two hours (1:00 P.M. - 3:00 P.M.)before the service time. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you consider donating to the ASPCA.

The Taggett family is being cared for CONRAD & THOMPSON FUNERAL HOME, 511 EMMETT STREET, KISSIMMEE, FLORIDA 34741 (407)847-3188

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