Lawrence W. Bottom, known to many as Larry, was born in Bardstown, Kentucky to Ida Rose and Wathen Bottom. Lawrence was the middle of three children; older sister Phyllis Cole (Atlanta, Georgia) and younger brother Alan Bottom (Louisville, Kentucky). After graduating from Bardstown High school, Lawrence attended Georgetown College and found success on the Tigers football team as a member of the first ever undefeated football team in school history. Lawrence joined the Kappa Alpha fraternity, where he often said he met some of the best friends he ever knew and had some of the most enjoyable times of his life.
After college, Lawrence enlisted in the United States Army, where he served for 5 years. During this time, Lawrence was blessed with his first child, a girl named Jennifer Lynn (Phoenix, Arizona) who was born on June 26, 1969. After his enlistment, Lawrence moved to Florida where he found employment as a school teacher, which enabled him to pursue his true passion of coaching football. Lawrence would spend the rest of his life in Florida, with more than 30 years of having a positive impact on young men and women in the classroom and on the football field. Lawrence enjoyed head coaching jobs and coordinator positions at various schools throughout the state before settling down in the Central Florida area.
While coaching in Ft. Myers, Florida, Lawrence welcomed his second child, a son named Brandan Jordan (Orlando, Florida) on January 5, 1981. Outside of coaching, Lawrence found time to enjoy bass fishing, playing pool and was a lover of music, especially songs from the 60’s and 70’s. Since the time they first met in Georgetown, Lawrence held a special place in his heart for Doraleen Wainscott, whom he married in 1995 and with whom he would spend the remainder of his life. Lawrence is survived by his wife, brother, sister, son and daughter along with his grandson, Christopher Burton and his two great grandchildren, Lyda Lynn and Ruby Jean Burton (Lexington, Kentucky).
To all who knew him, Lawrence was a loving, kind and giving husband, father and friend.
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