Everett educator and historian Larry O’Donnell dies at 88

Published 1:30 am Thursday, August 13, 2026

EVERETT — One night, sitting at the breakfast nook, brothers Jack and Lawrence “Larry” O’Donnell played a game they called lists.

First they listed the 10 closest grocery stores to 34th Street and Grand Avenue in Everett. Then they listed the taverns, and then gas stations.

“We could entertain ourselves with that,” Jack O’Donnell recalled. “Whereas a lot of people would have thought we were stark raving nuts.”

In his brother’s words, Larry O’Donnell was the foremost expert on local history. On Aug. 6, the historian, educator and nearly lifelong Everett resident died at the age of 88.

A week after his passing, community members across Everett shared with The Daily Herald how Larry O’Donnell impacted their lives.

“Larry O’Donnell gave so much of his life to Everett,” said Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin in a statement. “As an educator and also as a storyteller who understood the importance of knowing and preserving our community’s history. We are grateful for all Larry gave to Everett and know his legacy will live on through the generations of students he inspired and the stories he helped preserve.”

‘One of the finest gentlemen’

Since first attending Jefferson Elementary School, Larry O’Donnell filled the roles of student, teacher, counselor, vice principal, principal and consultant within Everett Public Schools. His professional career within the school district spanned three decades.

“He was a believer in public schools, and he also loved Everett,” Jack O’Donnell said.

Although he wasn’t as fond of ties.

“When he was getting ready to retire, he’d come over with a tie on, and then cut it off,” Jack O’Donnell said, recalling how the display would entertain his kids.

Larry O’Donnell also took up writing after retirement in 1989. His first book, “Everett School District: The First 100 Years,” was published three years later. He penned four local history books on his own in addition to several booklets, articles and collaborations.

“History has been a fun hobby, because it never ends,” he told The Daily Herald in 2024.

Larry O’Donnell briefly lived in Bellingham while earning a bachelor’s in education from Western Washington University. He later earned his master’s in education from the University of Oregon. After a couple of years, he settled down in Snohomish County.

For Everett High School Principal Kelly Shepherd, the 1955 graduate represents the best of what it means to be an Everett Seagull, the school’s mascot.

“Larry was more than a supporter of Everett High,” Shepherd said in a statement. “Personally, he was a mentor who showed what it means to lead with heart, advocate for what is right, and use your voice to make a difference. He had a remarkable way of making everyone he encountered feel valued and supported.”

Ian Saltzman, the superintendent of Everett Public Schools, referred to Larry O’Donnell as “one of the finest gentlemen” he’s ever met.

“He gave so much of his time, energy, and heart in service to others,” he said in a statement. “His impact will not be forgotten, and he will be greatly missed.”

In 2024, Everett High School honored him with the renamed Lawrence O’Donnell Library.

Despite feeling honored, the historian couldn’t recall stepping foot in the library, friend and fellow Everett native Bill Rucker said.

“He said, ‘When I was at Everett High School, I don’t know if I ever went in that library,’” Rucker recalled. “Everybody that heard that thought it was pretty funny because, if he said it, it might have been kind of true.”

True or not, Larry O’Donnell appreciated Everett’s books. Recently, he had begun putting together a special collection of books written by or about Everett High School alums, said Jack O’Donnell. His brother is continuing the hunt for books, if anyone has some to donate.

In Larry O’Donnell’s own body of work, topics include the history of the City of Everett, Everett High School sports, county history and a catalogue of Snohomish County YMCA’s first 100 years.

“The First 100 Years: An Illustrated History of the YMCA of Snohomish County” continues to offer inspiration for YMCA representatives as they look to the future, said Danen Barnhart, the organization’s Snohomish County Board of Trustees chair.

“As the YMCA of Snohomish County celebrates our 125th Anniversary this year,” he said in a statement. “We could not be more grateful to Larry for his leadership, storytelling and commitment to understanding our past so we can, together, create a stronger, more connected community.”

Lisa Labovitch, a history specialist at Everett Public Library, also expressed gratitude for the time and knowledge he offered to the community.

“He had that teacher’s skill of never making you feel less than for not knowing something that might be obvious to the initiated,” she said in an email. “Something that I was very grateful for when I was new to the area, and Everett history.”

His historical preservation extended beyond the written word.

In 1995, he advocated for the demolition of Everett High School’s annex, which he called “the most unpopular building in the history of this city,” according to The Daily Herald’s previous reporting. The annex obscured Everett High’s main building, built in Beaux-Arts style and placed two years later on the National Register of Historic Places.

‘A role model’

Larry O’Donnell also fought to preserve the maple trees in the 3300 block of Grand Avenue, previous reporting stated. Up until 2015, he also lived in one of Grand Avenue’s historic homes.

For 30 years, both brothers lived along the tree-lined street, Jack O’Donnell said.

“He would send things to me in the mail, even though we lived across the street,” he recalled.

On Nov. 27, 1959, Larry O’Donnell married Joyce, who died in 2021. Together, the couple had three children, Jodi, Michael and Douglas, along with multiple grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Anna Marie Jackson Laurence, an Everett School Board director and family friend of the O’Donnells, recalled what it was like to grow up friends with Larry O’Donnell’s children.

“Larry enjoyed the outdoors, and we were included in a couple of their family camping trips to the North Cascades National Park where we hiked, fished, and roasted marshmallows,” she said in an email.

He was also a trustee of the Gertrude Jackson Memorial Fund for more than 30 years, which provides scholarships to Everett and Mukilteo students, she said.

“In his upbeat manner, Larry congratulated and encouraged the recipients to be involved in their studies, work hard, and stay in touch,” she said.

If you ask Jack O’Donnell, he would say his big brother was a role model.

“Always had a sense of humor,” he said. “Always brought levity to whatever he was doing and just a good big brother.”

Larry O’Donnell’s humorous spirit manifested itself at Christmas time in the form of a holiday village so impressive it earned its own article in The Daily Herald. Named “Larryville,” the display took over the dining room and part of the living room.

“Little kids would come over, and they’d be just wide-eyed,” Jack O’Donnell said. “Well, big kids too”

He was a member of various boards and commissions, including the Rotary Club of Everett, where he served as the club historian for decades. He was also one of the first members of the Big Shots bicycle group, who meet twice a week to ride together.

Rucker, a fellow Everett High School alum, had known of Larry O’Donnell for years, but it was on those trails that the two became well acquainted.

“It’s good fellowship, and the guys are really interesting,” Rucker said. “Nobody nicer than Larry O’Donnell.”

Outside of cycling, Larry O’Donnell also ran marathons, including the New York City Marathon. He was bitten by the travel bug after traveling as a child to visit his grandparents in Kansas.

One of many trips took place in 1999 when Jack and Larry O’Donnell decided to drive across Route 66, which travels from California to Illinois, in Jack O’Donnell’s 1968 Chevrolet Impala convertible.

“We drove to Chicago, and then to Los Angeles, Santa Monica, and then back up to Everett,” Jack O’Donnell said. “We felt good about that.”

The brothers hit the road again in 2005 to drive the Lincoln Highway, the first transcontinental road for vehicles in the country.

A couple of years ago, Larry O’Donnell had a health scare. He spent some time in hospice care before recovering and getting back on the bike, literally.

“Talk about inspirational,” Rucker said.

Two years before his death, he had found companionship with Loretta Hurd. Rucker recalled Hurd calling his wife Aug. 6 to deliver the news about Larry O’Donnell’s death.

“She said, ‘Our loving Larry just passed away,’” he said.

That stuck out as poignant to Rucker, who described Larry O’Donnell as someone special to many people.

“Larry was just such a good guy,” He said. “In that sense, he was a role model.”

Jenna Millikan: 425-339-3035; jenna.millikan@heraldnet.com; X: @JennaMillikan