Larry Day, husband of national Republican leader, dies [Sun Sentinel]

Oct. 25--Laurence "Larry" Day, who retired to Fort Lauderdale after selling an insurance and reinsurance business, died Tuesday after a lengthy battle with several illnesses. He was 65.

Mr. Day was the husband of Sharon Day, the No. 2 official of the Republican National Committee.

While the Days lived in Indianapolis, they built an insurance and reinsurance business from three employees to 156. They were politically active to the extent they supported Republican candidates financially, but working 60 to 80 hours a week left no time to do anything more.

After selling the business and retiring early to South Florida in the early 1990s, they stumbled into activism. When they walked into a Republican Party office to register to vote as new Broward residents, the Days were recruited to get involved in the local party.

Sharon Day rose through the ranks, becoming the state Republican committeewoman representing Broward County, the national committeewoman representing Florida, the national party secretary, and, in 2011, national party co-chairwoman.

While Sharon Day was the public activist in the family, friends said Mr. Day also loved politics. In an interview earlier this year, Sharon Day said she had concluded that the demands of the co-chairwomanship of the Republican National Committee would impose too great a burden on her family because she'd constantly be traveling.

It was Mr. Day, she said, who insisted that she seek the office. He stayed home in Fort Lauderdale with the couple's dog, Reagan. Sharon Day maintained a heavy travel schedule until about three weeks ago when she returned home to spend time with Mr. Day.

In addition to his wife, Mr. Day is survived by two children, Aaron Day, of Bedford, N.H., and Coby Mansell, of Indianapolis, Ind., and five grandchildren.

Visitation will be Friday from 1 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. at Kraeer-Fairchild Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 4061 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Mark the Evangelist Episcopal Church, 1750 E. Oakland Park Blvd., Oakland Park.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to American Veterans of Broward County, P.O. Box 23177, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33307; Abandoned Pet Rescue, 1137 NE Ninth Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304; or the Transplant Foundation Inc., 701 SW 27th Ave., Suite 705, Miami, FL 33135.

Statements from the Broward and national Republican parties at SunSentinel.com/BrowardPolitics

aman@tribune.com or 954-356-4550

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