[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 76 (Wednesday, May 8, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E555]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     REMEMBERING LAURENCE M. BLOCH

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. STEVE COHEN

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 8, 2019

  Mr. COHEN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to remember an important 
mentor, advisor and my quasi-brother/father, Laurence M. Bloch, whom 
the world knew as ``Larry.''
   Larry, a Memphis native and longtime real estate investor and 
contributor to humanitarian causes, passed away on February 23 in Santa 
Monica, California, at the age of 87. A font of sage advice, Larry was 
constantly there for me and for many others who loved him for the 
caring individual he was. After graduating from Christian Brothers High 
School in 1949, Larry went to the University of Michigan, serving as a 
cheerleader for the Wolverines and traveling by train with the team to 
the 1951 Rose Bowl in which Michigan beat the California Golden Bears 
14 to 6.
   Larry graduated with a degree in economics in 1953 then served two 
years in the U.S. Army before returning to Memphis and the real estate 
investment business. He remained an avid Michigan fan his whole life 
and used to tape every game. Known for his disheveled salt-and-pepper 
hair and socks-less and tie-less style, and for riding his bicycle like 
Albert Einstein, he also drove around town in a Lincoln Continental 
with coach doors. He celebrated healthy eating habits as a prophet of 
whole grains and fiber.
   An investor with a keen eye for good deals in Memphis' downtown, he 
had the good sense to own the property kitty-corner from The Peabody on 
Union Avenue that was torn down to create AutoZone Park. A patron of 
the arts, he also supported the Memphis Crisis Center, Meals on Wheels 
and the Church Health Center among his charitable causes. As a cat 
lover, another of his charitable causes was The House of Mews, where he 
was for a while the top cat. A charming story teller, he provided 
useful advice and helped many people solve their problems.
   I was fortunate to have had him as a good friend and will miss him 
greatly. I want to extend my condolences to his daughter Cheryl and to 
his grandsons Nick and Alex. Larry Bloch led an exemplary life.

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