Larry Elliot MacDonald

Larry Elliot MacDonald
1945-2025

Larry Elliot MacDonald, of Vero Beach, Florida, died November 17, 2025. He was 80.

Larry was an ebullient iconoclast who was physically unable to prevent himself from making a corny joke if the opportunity presented itself.

He dedicated his life to the pursuit of engaging conversation, clever puns, playing guitar, fine woodworking, community theater, downhill skiing, photography, pointing out cultural absurdities, learning and sharing scientific facts, enjoying a generous glass of rum, chatting with strangers, and going for the perfect afternoon sail on his boat Kanau.

He grew up in Olean, New York, ultimately settling in a house he helped his father build. He had a paper route and worked as a bus boy in a local restaurant. In his youth he took an interest in science. He built model rockets, blew up part of his bedroom with a home chemistry kit, and started reading the magazine Scientific American at age 17 — a practice he continued until his passing.

Although Larry was opposed to the war in Vietnam, he enlisted in the Air Force after his draft number came up, inspired by a friend who did the same and was instead deployed to Germany. After being trained in the Russian language, Larry was eventually sent to Vietnam, where he ran payroll, refused to carry a gun, and exhibited a near magical ability to sense incoming attacks, frequently sprinting into shelters long before any sirens sounded. In his free time, he volunteered to teach English language lessons to local children near the base in Bien Hoa.

Prior to deployment to Vietnam he married the love of his life, Susan Kohler, on May 28, 1966, in a brief ceremony during which he was AWOL from the military. They would be married almost 60 years, a journey together that included three children, three grandchildren, 16 homes and countless memories.

His many and varied jobs included operating an early mainframe computer in a bank, owning and running a retail photography store and photo processing lab, constructing fireplaces as a stone mason, and building and repairing sailboats.

He managed several Radio Shacks during the company’s rapid expansion in the 1980s, and in the 1990s he helped transition an established office supply company that specialized in typewriters to selling computers, teaching himself to write code and install networks in the process.

Larry and Susan purchased their dream home in 1997: a 41-foot Morgan Out Island sailboat that they lived aboard until 2012. They sailed up and down the Intracoastal Waterway with the seasons, working various jobs, making lasting friendships and having memorable adventures. Larry earned his captain’s license, and Susan became an accomplished navigator and earned the nickname “Saltwater Suzi.” When they moved back on to land in 2012, it was the longest they had lived in any one home — even though that home was mobile.

After transitioning to life as a CLOD (Cruiser Living On Dirt), Larry filled his and Suzi’s Vero Beach home with hand-built sailing-related ephemera, including mermaids, anchors and lighthouses, much of which was displayed on their lanai, referred to as the “aft deck” to make it sound more nautical.

He stayed connected to the sailing world through his popular website, “The Frugal Mariner,” which collected tips and tricks for managing life aboard.

In retirement, Larry pursued his creative interests. He wrote two novels, built numerous woodworking projects, and delighted in serving visitors ‘Cap’n Larry’s World Famous Omelette.’

Larry is survived by his wife, Susan Kohler MacDonald; his three children, son Scott MacDonald of San Jose, California, twin daughters Tara Striffler of Jeju Island, South Korea, and Colleen Kissell of Roanoke, Virginia; brother Tom MacDonald of Indian Land, South Carolina; cousin Cheryl Bauschard Bouchard of Washington, North Carolina; three grandchildren, Ethan Kissell, Piper Striffler and Lila Brandom-MacDonald, nieces Kelly Bernal and Nicole MacDonald and nephew Shawn MacDonald. He was preceded in death by his parents Chet and Marjorie of Olean, New York; and cousin Jeff Johnson of Monroe, Michigan.

There will be no funeral service; Larry donated his body to the University of Florida College of Medicine to be used for medical research and study.