Larry Hamp of Hastings, who penned the “Barry Hastings” column for Townbroadcast for several years, died Tuesday. He was 82.
A product of the Hastings Public Schools, he served the U.S. Armed Forces Institute, the USCG, and graduated from Grand Rapids Junior College, Grand Valley State College (bachelor’s degree, history/international relations anthropology minor and equivalent of literature minor, additional studies, naval and military history, Western Michigan University.
Hamp worked for 10 years years in the bank/finance industry w/Liberty Loan Corp (then a NYSE traded Co.), Old Kent Bank, Michigan Fidelity Corp., and Massey-Ferguson Credit Corporation area finance manager while he attended night classes at GRJC.
He started college full time at GVSC when 31 years old in 1969. Active in the anti-Vietnam war movement, he served as class representative faculty/student senate junior and senior year. He was co-chair of GVSC (USA) delegation to Harvard national model UN, spring 1972.
In 1963-64 he served as editor of “The People Speak” (published by former GR Mayor and Michigan Lt. Gov. George Welsh) while working on the Goldwater campaiqn, and with Wayne Rooks, Jack Vandenberg, and Gerry Plas, runnlng the Michigan college Goldwater effort.
1968, with Rooks and Vandenberg, managed the successful campaign of Robert Boelens for mayor of GR.
In his grad studies at WMUhe was largely writing seminars and classes with primarily U.S. Navy 1880-1920, military and naval reforms of TR, Modern Soviet Navy, Russian Navy of Peter the Great, reform efforts of William Sowden Sims (particularly gunnery, ship design), and research regarding Naval/Maritime holdings in Waldo Library.
Working as a DJ and radio newsman in Houghton (MI), he stumbled on a community newspaper opportunity (sports, features, ad sales) with the “Copper Island Sentinel” in Calumet. As only person on staff with a business background, he took the edltor’s position to fill a vacancy. He also covered four large western U.P. counties as reporter/feature and sports writer for the Marquette Mining Journal.
Hamp was editor of Hastings Banner 1982-83 and publisher and editor of Hastings Independent Reporter, 83-84.
He was writer/reporter for Nantucket Inquirer & Mirror 1984-85, and two contracts writer (one historical, one humorous, weekly) for Nantucket Map & Legend. 1985-87.
He worked as an dvertising copywriter for American Historical Foundation, Richmond, Va., and publicist for (Richmond based) Urban Artists Amalgamated, 1987-91.
He spent 35 years coaching/managing men’s (and two women’s) fast-pitch softball teams, with nearly two dozen league, district and regional championships, seven (unfruitful) state finals appearances in MI, MA, VA.
Hs Served as commissioner for the Michigan Amateur Softball Association, and managed the drive to entry in the state softball hall of fame for two Hastings players (of the ‘50s and ‘60s), Vern Allerding and Don Bowers
There has been no information about funeral arrangements as yet.
I remember Larry from Grand Valley days. He was a fellow vet on campus. I always found him to be a gregarious and polite fellow, who seemed to maintain a positive attitude. It took me a while to discover Barry Hastings was same guy that used to walk the halls of GV.
Larry was a good friend and a free spirit.