Bill Larkin

William J. Larkin Jr. (February 5, 1928 – August 31, 2019) was an American politician and retired U.S. Army officer from the state of New York.

Larkin was a decorated veteran of World War II and the Korean War. He fought in the Pacific theater in World War II and was later evacuated from the Korean War in 1951 for medical reasons. Larkin later helped protect President John F. Kennedy on a visit to Berlin and met Martin Luther King Jr. while escorting one of the Selma to Montgomery marches in Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement. He retired from the U.S. Army as a lieutenant colonel in 1967.

Following his retirement from the Army, Larkin served one term as New Windsor town supervisor. A Republican, Larkin later sat in the New York State Legislature for 40 years, representing various districts in the Hudson Valley. He was a member of the State Assembly between 1979 and 1990, representing first the 97th district and then the 95th district. He then sat in the State Senate from 1991 until his retirement in 2018, representing the 39th district. Known for his advocacy for veterans, Larkin helped to create the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in Orange County in 2006. In 2018, a Larkin-sponsored bill renaming the Bear Mountain Bridge the Purple Heart Veterans Memorial Bridge was enacted.

Early life Born on February 5, 1928 in Troy, New York, Larkin was raised by his aunt and uncle. and later attended the University of Maryland and University of Denver.

During his career in the Army, Larkin helped protect President John F. Kennedy on a visit to Berlin and met Martin Luther King Jr. when escorting one of the Selma to Montgomery marches in Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement. Larkin retired from the U.S. Army in 1967 as a Lieutenant Colonel;

Political career Following his retirement from the Army, Larkin was hired as an executive assistant in the New York State Senate and served a term as New Windsor town supervisor Larkin would go on to win 13 more two-year State Senate terms. In the Senate, Larkin represented portions of Orange, Rockland, and Ulster Counties.

Known for his advocacy for veterans, Larkin helped to create the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in Orange County, New York in 2006. Larkin successfully urged the U.S. Postal Service to issue a stamp depicting the Purple Heart, and to later make it a "forever" stamp which continues to be in circulation despite price changes. According to the Albany Times Union, Larkin "often shared anecdotes from his life experiences on the Senate floor". and voted against it again in 2011 when it passed. In 2013, he voted against the gun control law known as the NY SAFE Act. Larkin voted in favor of medical marijuana legalization in 2014.

Larkin's district was once considered a safe Republican district. Over time, however, the district underwent demographic changes. By 2018, enrolled Democrats outnumbered enrolled Republicans in the district by a significant margin. While Larkin was widely expected to retire sooner than he did, his continued presence helped keep his district (and the entire State Senate) in Republican hands and dissuaded some potential Democratic challengers from seeking the Senate seat in District 39.

In May 2018, at the age of 90, Larkin announced that he would retire at year-end instead of seeking re-election. At the time of his announcement, Larkin was the only World War II veteran remaining in the New York State Legislature. He was married to Patricia Kurucz Larkin. and was survived by his wife and their eight children, 17 grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.