From left to right, Bob Foltz, Julie Miller, Larry DiGregorio

Larry DiGregorio. My, what a loss for so many of us. And yet, his wonderfully witty, challenging, intelligent, and sometimes almost-impossible-to-satisfy kind of personality made him a colleague we will never forget! Many years have passed since I was an active member and officer of the DE-DC-MD ASFAA. Larry was at times an enigma to me. He taught me to not shake when others – especially Larry – wanted to find my breaking point during our great debates on how to solve the many conflicting regulatory dilemmas! He was amazingly kind and would send a smile that made the day worthwhile. And yet, he always caused his colleagues to consider new ways of looking at how we do our business. After all, we are still a neophyte profession, when compared to so many other established career paths. And Larry wanted us all to be sure to stretch and consider what some thought absurd. But it was Larry’s challenge to all of us in this profession to stretch and grow that we might find the most efficient, synthesized process to serve others – our students, families, and colleagues. For those of you that did not have the privilege to know Larry, I would ask all of you to remember to question and learn from your debates, always respecting those you challenge. This would be Larry’s gift to you as you grow in our wonderfully zany profession!

–Submitted by Marilyn King

What many people do not know about Larry is that he was really a kid at heart. I should know, because I am also a kid at heart and we expressed this mutual trait by finding amusement parks at as many places as we could when at conferences.

There was the time when NASFAA was held in San Antonio, and, as usual, Larry and I took a couple of extra days after the conference to have some fun. Well, we found Fiesta Texas, which was a Six Flags amusement park. Somehow, we picked a day when there weren’t many visitors at the park, so we got to ride all the good rides as many times as we wanted.

We hit the roller coaster, which was pretty good, time after time – getting right back on as soon as we got off. I think we tried every seat on the coaster, with the front seat, by far, being our favorite. We must have ridden the coaster a dozen times, with about a half-dozen of those rides being in the front seat.

From the coaster, we went to the water ride where you sit in a gigantic tube-type structure along with about six or eight other people. We just happened to get partnered with a family with three children who were old enough and big enough to go on the ride. Well, we had so much fun with the kids that they made us go on the ride with them over and over again. We were so soaked by the time that adventure ended that we had to go back on the coaster and ride it several times to dry off!

One of the years I worked for Banner, its user conference was held in Anaheim, California. As we all know, Anaheim is the home of Disneyland. Guess what – we found our ultimate ride. On this ride, two people sit in each car and the cars are arranged in a square around a central structure several stories high. The beginning of the ride propels you very quickly to the top of the structure, which in itself is a heck of a feeling. Then you sit at the top for a few seconds. Finally and unexpectedly—even when you're expecting it—you are dropped free-fall style for a good distance, then stopped, then dropped again, etc., etc.. Again, we were lucky in that the park was not overly crowded. Needless to say, we went on that ride at least six times! Of course, we did hit Disneyland’s version of the water ride several times too.

We all remember Larry for his wonderful mind and his unbelievable knowledge of financial aid laws and regs. But both my wife and I will also always remember him for the fun-loving kid he really was.

We miss you Larry…Sam

– Submitted by Sam Magrone

In 1995, I had been working at the Department as a program reviewer for five years when Nancy Klingler convinced me that I really should apply for the position of training officer. As much as I enjoyed both Title IV and talking to people, I knew that being a training officer involved accepting the risk of public humiliation. Give a presentation in front of 150 people and there are bound to be a fair number who know more about what you are talking about than you do, especially when you have been in the job all of two weeks. My worst fears were confirmed when I gave the first presentation of my career at Tri-State’s Fall Conference. Larry was in the audience and (no surprise for those who knew him) he had questions. Over the next ten years there would be many more. He usually knew the answer before he asked. But Larry had a low tolerance for things that made no logical sense and he felt compelled to question them, often with all the dry wit and irreverence he could muster.

As I got to know Larry better, our conversations, usually beginning under the pretense of resolving some Title IV issue, drifted to many areas (I hope my management does not read this) – some fairly obscure and certainly not job related. It was easy to get caught up in Larry’s passion for any number of subjects. I know it is an awful cliché to pronounce anyone a “renaissance man,” but ability to handle a sword and perform courtly dances aside, Larry came as close to that ideal as anyone I have known. He had a great many talents and believed it was his obligation to share them with others, whether as a young man in the Peace Corps, in his professional life as an aid administrator, or through service to his parish and community.

I know Larry looked forward to retirement and devoting his energies to his community of Wilmington, Delaware. He even expressed an interest in public office. It seems a cruel joke that in an age where civic mindedness is a rare commodity, someone so willing and so capable should be denied the opportunity to do the good things I know Larry would have done for his city. But this reality in no way detracts from the many good things Larry has already done for his students, colleagues, family and friends. We should all hope to fare as well. I feel privileged to have known him.

– Submitted by Greg Martin

On occasion, we lose a valued colleague who reminds us of the golden opportunities in life.

One such colleague provides a stunning example for living each day to the fullest. Larry DiGregorio attended Penn State University, Wilkes College and St. Andrew's University in Scotland. He spent 4 years with the Peace Corps. Mr. DiGregorio was the financial aid director at Delaware Technical Community College at the Stanton/Wilmington campus, where he worked for 30 years. Larry was also a valued volunteer for many organizations in Wilmington including Westside Neighborhood Coalition, the Fifth District Planning Council, where he served as treasurer, and the Trinity Vicinity Neighborhood Association Steering Committee. In addition, he established the Sacred Heart Service Center with the Ministry of Caring. He passed away recently after battling cancer for a couple of years. Larry literally was a world traveler with stints in the Peace Corps and other activities that took him around the world. He lived a full life. He was a valued colleague in the Delaware financial aid community. Larry was involved in association activity until the very end as a member of the Tri-state Historical committee. He would have retired on April 1st, about a week after he died. While he would have enjoyed retirement, I doubt that he had any regrets. He will be missed. Larry was at times a visible and vocal leader and more often a quiet leader who touched lives too numerous to count.

– Submitted by Gary Spoales

I remember Larry as one of the first people I met in the Tri-State Association. He was Delaware’s version of Groucho Marx. His dry sense of humor and straightforward attitude was a front for a kind and considerate person who was a wealth of information for a wet behind the ears Neophyte in the early 80’s.

Larry was an active member of our association and a living history of the group. As a professional, Larry was up-to-date on the rules and regulations and was adamant about how he ran his shop. When I worked for the Dept. of Ed’s hotline, I remember one of my specialists telling me he had a Delaware school on the phone yelling at him for having told a student something about professional judgment. We should not be telling students about this, it is a school issue. I knew without asking who the FAO was on the phone. I took the call from the specialist and got into a philosophical discussion on the values and secrecy of PJ with Larry. We ended the conversation with a joke and despite any disagreement, we remained friends.
However, when he would see me at a conference or meeting, Larry would always ask me what secrets I was giving away to students these days.

Larry will be missed and I am grateful to have been his peer these past many years.

– Submitted by Cissy VanSickle

Committee Updates: Historical Society

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