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Then-Bar President Pat Scanlon of Jackson agreed in 1989 in his President's column, as he addressed Larry: \been thinking ahead about needed public service programs and membership service activities; you have looked to the future of the profession and the Bar to make long range and strategic plans, and you have given serious thought to the numerous issues facing the legal profession and its bar associations.... In my daily workings with you, I have always found you to be cooperative, enthusiastic, and dedicated to the good of our organization and its members.\In 2010, commemorating the 30th anniversary of Larry's leadership, then-Bar President George Fair wrote, \Bar could not have been in better hands for the past 30 years. Larry's leadership and his levelheaded, steady hand over the business and affairs of the Bar have been integral to its success.\In 2010, Bar Past President Joy Phillips had nothing but praise for Larry as she wrote: \500 company if that was the path he chose to pursue. He works with the egos of some 7,000 lawyers and each year he deftly manages a different president.\Bar Past President Nina Stubblefield Tollison summed up Larry's legacy this way: \with a sense of sadness and great loss, I drove to Jackson to pay my final respects to his family and honor Larry. As I walked into the visitation, I was met with legions of colleagues and friends who felt the same loss that I did. The gathering morphed into the telling of celebratory stories about Larry, each of us sharing what a tremendously positive impact he had on our lives. During his tenure at The Mississippi Bar, he was the glue that held the organization together. For me personally, he was a dear friend. He made all of his friends feel just this way. His passing will be mourned by many for quite some while.\***Born in Vicksburg, Larry graduated from H.V. Cooper High School in 1971 and went on to attend the University of Mississippi, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1975.At Ole Miss, Larry was deeply involved in campus life. He was a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, a Student Equipment Manager for the Ole Miss football team, and a proud member of the M-Club, a connection to the athletics community that would remain important to him throughout his life.Larry's love for Ole Miss never faded. He remained active in alumni affairs, serving two terms on the Ole Miss Alumni Association Board of Directors and as President of the District 8 Alumni Club. He remained involved in the M-Club, where he served on the Board of Directors, and as President of the Central Mississippi M-Club Alumni Association.After college, he moved to Jackson where he met and married the love of his life Pamela Palmer in 1980. They had two sons, Palmer and Peyton, who he loved dearly, always prioritizing coaching and attending their numerous sporting activities, going on Boy Scouts camping trips, watching Peyton's many bands perform, and traveling as a family.A man of deep faith, Larry was a longtime member of First Presbyterian Church of Jackson, serving as Deacon, Chairman of the Diaconate, and Elder. He gave generously of his time through many committees, including Twin Lakes Camp and Conference Center, where he chaired the Board of Directors. Larry also supported the First Presbyterian Day School as a Board Member and President of the Crusader Club, and he was proud to serve on the Board of Directors of the Mississippi Food Network.Larry served on the Board of Directors of Neighborhood Christian Center and helped with its merger with Mission First. In 2012, Peyton%u2019s House was established as a ministry for middle school boys in honor and memory of Larry and Pamela%u2019s son, Peyton. Larry was a strong advocate for the legal ministries of Mission First, and after his retirement he gave great leadership as a member of the legal advisory board of directors.Larry was also a three-time cancer survivor, whose strength, optimism, and faith inspired all who knew him. Through each challenge, he faced adversity with grace and gratitude, always maintaining his steady spirit and sense of humor. Those who knew Larry remember his calm demeanor, bright smile, easy laughter, genuine kindness, and insatiable sweet tooth. He was a steady leader, a loyal friend, and a man who lived by his values: faith, family, fairness, and service to others. Although he experienced great professional success over the course of his life, nothing held a candle to the joy of becoming %u201cPops%u201d to his grandsons, the title and role he cherished most.Larry is survived by his wife Pamela Houchins, son Palmer (wCathryn) and two grandsons, Ren and Giles. He was predeceased by his son Peyton.Mississippi Bar Milestones Accomplished During the Tenure of Larry Houchins%u2022 construction of the Mississippi Bar Center%u2022 creation of practice Sections%u2022 successfully petitioning the Mississippi Supreme Court for Mandatory Continuing Legal Education%u2022 successfully petitioning the Mississippi Supreme Court for Interest on Lawyers Trust Accounts program%u2022 establishing the first statewide pro bono project, now known as the Mississippi Volunteer Lawyers Project%u2022 establishing the first Consumer Assistance Program in the country that has served as a model for other state bars%u2022 staffing a full-time Lawyers & Judges Assistance Program%u2022 creating the Commission on the Courts in the 21st Century, which led to the passage of the Court Improvement Act of 1993%u2022 overseeing the Bar's efforts to provide assistance to Gulf Coast lawyers devastated in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005Larry and Pamela Houchins at Larry's retirement party at The Bar Center in 2017. Photos on pages 6-7 courtesy of Gil Ford Photography.WINTER 2026 7