Mr. Lawrence G. Varney, age 83, of West Stockholm, NY passed away on May 14, 2023 at the Canton-Potsdam Hospital. Arrangements are with the Garner Funeral Service. Friends may call on Thursday, May 18th from 3-7 pm. A mass of Christian burial will be held at 11 am the following day at St. Mary’s Church in Potsdam with Rev. Joseph Giroux and Rev. Garry Giroux concelebrate. Burial will follow at the West Stockholm Cemetery. Contributions in Lonny’s memory can be made to the West Stockholm Cemetery Association c/o Joseph Russell @ 143 Old Market Rd., Winthrop, NY 13697, or to the West Stockholm Volunteer Fire Department, P. O. Box 257, West Stockholm, NY 13696.
Lonny is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Joan Varney; daughters, Annemarie (Rick) Adams and Kim (Bruce) Thompson; sons, Michael (Penni) Varney and Cory (Trish) Varney; grandchildren, Brad (Mary) Adams, Tylar (Amanda) Varney, Andy (Jaime) Varney, Michelle (Rob) Kunz, Christopher (Kandie) McGrath, Justin (Maura Mayer) McGrath, Patrick (Amy) McGrath, Chad, Cole, Will and Halle Varney, Troy (Mindy) Thompson, Lacey (Brad Francis) Thompson, and Devin (Haven LaBar) Chambers; 38 great-grandchildren; a half-brother, Frederick “Corky“ Varney, a half-sister, Eileen Slater, and several nieces and nephews. Lonny is predeceased by a brother, James Varney, a sister, Mary Ann Fuller, and a half-brother, Charles Varney.
Lawrence Gilbert Varney was born on January 14, 1940, in West Stockholm, NY to the late Frederick Varney and Ella Farnsworth Varney. He was a 1958 graduate of Potsdam Central High School. While at PCS he was a three sport standout, excelling in football, basketball and baseball. Lonny always talked about his friends in high school and their generosity towards him as he did not have much growing up. His father was wounded in France during WWII and when he returned home the family dynamic changed. As a result, his mother worked long hours at the hospital to provide for the family.
Lonny’s faith was always very important to him. He would pray often and had been a member of St. Mary’s Church since childhood. He served as an altar boy for several years and later became one of the head ushers during Saturday afternoon mass.
After graduating from high school, Lon started working for Shelly Electric. He often rode in the back of a pickup truck to get to the job site. On November 15, 1958, he married his high school sweetheart, Joan Russell. The ceremony took place at St. Mary’s Church in Potsdam. Joan also came from humble beginnings, but together they committed to raising a strong, close-knit family that was always their top priority.
Lonny loved to work. A perfect weekend day for him would be to get up early, work an 8-9 hour day and then enjoy the evening at home with his family. He was always busy, whether he was packing up the kids and heading to Saranac Lake to help build Bill Delosh’s house, cutting wood with the Dorothy and Carey families, or digging his own in-ground swimming pool by hand with buddies from work. Several kids in the neighborhood were able to enjoy that pool and it became Lon and Joan’s favorite entertaining venue. They hosted countless barbecues, family gatherings, and holidays at their home.
One day, early in their marriage, Lon went to work on the vacant building lot they had recently purchased. Much to his surprise, there was a huge pile of lumber in the yard. He had talked to Mr. Green about building a house but had not ordered any materials yet because he couldn’t afford them. Lon raced over to Green’s Sawmill to let them know there had been a big mistake. Mr. Green calmed him down and told Lonny not to worry. Knowing Lon’s character, he said that he trusted him and knew he would pay him back. Sure enough, Lonny built the entire house by hand and paid off every penny.
While at Shelly Electric, Lonny became an electrician by trade. Then, after a few years, he went to work for Niagara Mohawk. He quickly became a foreman and assisted in building several substations throughout the North Country while also operating and maintaining several hydroelectric dams owned by the company. Eventually, he worked his way up to a position as a supervisor. However, he didn’t really enjoy this role because he wasn’t very good at watching others work. He retired at age 54 with over 30 years of service. His last title was Supervisor of Power Delivery and he also oversaw the Blake Reservoir Campsite. His son and daughter-in-law Cory and Trish were fortunate to work for him at the campsite during their summer breaks from college. After retiring, Lonny went to work for Dean Talcott at the Garner Funeral Service. During this time, Lonny played a major role in several remodeling projects. Then, when Dean and Cory switched roles in 2000, Lonny started working in the funeral service aspect of the business. He worked alongside Cory for over 20 years until he became ill in 2021.
In his younger years, Lonny was a member of the Potsdam Volunteer Fire Department. Being a great athlete, they were happy to have him on the fire department Firematics Drill Team. They would compete in firemen competitions all over St. Lawrence County. His best event was ladder climbing.
Throughout his life, Lonny was very involved with his children and the community. He was a former member and the president of The Potsdam Junior Hockey Board and ran The Skate Shop at Pine St. Arena for years. In addition, Lon coached the Cardinals in Pop Warner Football and Little League Baseball for several years. Wherever the kids needed to be, Lonny and Joan would get them there, often dragging other siblings as well as their friends along for the ride.
Lon was recently honored by the West Stockholm Cemetery Association for the dedication and service he gave for over 30 years in many roles from bookkeeper to president. A new flag pole and monument bearing his name were dedicated to him at the cemetery.
Lonny was not afraid of trying new things with his kids. Whether it was riding Rocket the horse, snowmobiling, ice skating, or operating a dirt bike, Lon would jump in. It didn’t always go well, but he always gave it his best shot.
Lon loved animals and they usually had a family pet. Most recently, their granddaughter gifted them a small dog without a bark named Mugsy II. This pup has been a very important companion to Lon and will be keeping Joan company as she moves forward through this difficult time.
Lonny loved watching sports. If he wasn’t sitting on the sidelines as his children or grandchildren played, he was often following his favorite teams, The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Yankees.
Lonny was a very dedicated husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and uncle. He had a special bond with each family member and loved spending time with them. He will surely be missed by all.
