Friends remember Bob Larkin, long-time Republican activist [Ventura County Star, Calif.]
By Teresa Rochester, Ventura County Star, Calif. | |
McClatchy-Tribune Information Services |
Larkin, who served as the committee's chairman in the early 1990s, was a moderate Republican who was critical of the very conservative branch of the party and in return received criticism for some of his opinions, but he was unwavering in his beliefs, friends recalled on Monday.
"He was always dedicated to what he believed in," former U.S. Congressman
Larkin, who was in his mid 70s, died over the weekend.
Longtime friend,
Larkin pushed for more women in office, Sadler said. And in a letter to editor that appeared in The Star in 2008, Larkin decried what he called the state party's systematic kicking out of minorities and moderates, a trend he saw occurring at the national level as well.
The two first met in 1968 when Larkin wanted to get a park bond passed. Larkin, who owned an insurance business, also was active in the campaign to secure
"Dedicated, very committed," said Sadler, president of
In the early 1970s, when volunteers were having trouble finding space for a Republican party headquarters, Larkin offered the front of his office.
As president of the
After years of living in
Larkin loved to sing and enjoyed piano bars, Sadler said.
Robings was appointed as the manager of
For years, the two men would meet at a restaurant for a glass of wine in the evening, as Larkin was on his way home from work or golf. In recent years, the two have met on Robings' patio and talked about their work. The last time they met was a couple weeks ago, Robings said.
"It was interesting to sit down and talk chamber in 1976, a couple of old-timers," he said.
Larkin will be remembered as an activist and a hard-driving, hardworking political animal, Robings said.
"He thrived on that," Robings said. "There were times when he would drive up and down the state of
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(c)2013 Ventura County Star (Camarillo, Calif.)
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