Sad News: Larry Johnson aka Larry the Bottle Guy Obituary

[See additional memorial info at bottom of the post, added 4-17-20]

Sad to report that Larry Johnson has passed away. Known to all as Larry the Bottle Guy, he was a long time collector and dealer, a fixture at bottle shows and the Springfield Extravaganza. Our condolences to Larry's Mom, family and friends. There will not be a funeral or memorial ceremony, as per Larry's wishes.

Joe Clevenger was a close friend, and shared some thoughts and memories of their years of collecting and selling at shows together:

Larry the Bottleman

 Larry was born in Columbus, Ohio on March 16, 1948, to Homer Joseph and Alice Louise Johnson.

Larry's boyhood home was on Sinclair Road near the corner of East Lincoln Avenue. Behind their

home was the railroad and the Indianola Park. Larry would play in the park and along the railroad

tracks. 

 Larry's mom worked around the corner from their home at the neighborhood soda shop. After school

Larry would get off the bus at the soda shop and stay there until his mom's shift would end. Larry

would often talk about the great treats he would get there while he waited for his mom's shift to end.

 After graduating from high school he attended Ohio State University for one year. He would rather

do the field work than the book work. So he dropped out due to poor grades. 

 He then worked for a few years at a variety of jobs. Not being the 9 to 5 type. He began working in

the antique business in 1972. In the early years he specialized in vintage clothing and antique furniture.

Over the years, Larry operated two antique shops in the Columbus area.

 Larry closed the shops and moved back home to live with his parents. Larry then began to specialize

with the buying and selling of canning jars, Wheaton bottles, pictorial soda bottles and Ohio milk

bottles. Giving up the shops Larry began to set up at various flea market and antique malls.

 I met Larry at the Farmer's Merchants Days flea market in 1995. At first I think he viewed me as a

pest. He quickly put me to work thinking it would get me to go away. It didn't work. He began to see

that I would be a good helper. So I began working with him at various shows across Ohio and Indiana.

 Over the years Larry has spent a lot of time teaching me about bottles, jars and how the flea market

business works. He has also been a great source of information for dairy history. 

 In July of 2019, Larry began having painful spasms in his left arm. By August the spasms began to

become more frequent. After the Fall Extravaganza, Larry had a major seizure. He ended up in

Riverside Hospital for two weeks. At that time they found that he had a large tumor at the top of his

brain. Along with a mass on his right lung. 

 Over the fall he continued buying and selling along with short stays in the hospital and nursing

homes for various issues. Slowly over the fall Larry began to lose the use of his legs. By February he

was in a wheelchair most of the time.

 In March, Larry had another seizure and ended up in the hospital. He quickly began going downhill.

Larry passed away on April 1, 2020. Larry was a good friend and partner in the business.

___________

Larry the Bottle Guy

Here are some links to read, and to write your own, memories of Larry Johnson the Bottle Guy. He is missed by so many people who met him over the years. The Facebook post alone was seen by almost 5000 people! RIP, Larry!

https://www.leafcremationohio.com/obituaries/Lawrence-Maxwell-Johnson?obId=12586988#/celebrationWall

https://www.forevermissed.com/larry-thebottleman-johnson/about