Larry King Monteith

Dr. Larry King Monteith, 90, entered his eternal life in Heaven with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Thursday, November 2nd, 2023 after an extended illness. Larry was a member of Covenant Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).

Larry also known as “Big L”, was born on August 17, 1933, in Bryson City, North Carolina to the late Essie King and Noah Earl Monteith. He met the love of his life, Nancy, when they were in high school and married soon after on April 19, 1952. After four years as an aviation electronics technician in the United States Navy, Larry enrolled in North Carolina State College of Agriculture and Engineering in 1956 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 1960. After graduation, he was employed by Bell Telephone Laboratory and gained experience from productions of military ground to air missiles and the Telstar communication satellite while enrolled at Duke University and graduating with a Master of Science degree in 1962. He then worked for the developing Solid-state Micro-electronics division of the Research Triangle Institute and established programs supported by NASA before graduating from Duke with a Ph.D. in 1965. He then joined the faculty at the renowned North Carolina State University at Raleigh in 1968 as an associate professor in the Solid State Micro-electronics division of the Department of Electrical Engineering.

He was active in developing research and graduate programs, teaching and extension programs when appointed in 1974 as head of the department and then in 1978 as the dean of engineering. After a decade as a dean, Larry accepted the position of interim (1988) and then chancellor of NCSU in 1989 before retiring in 1998 after thirty years of service when the efforts of faculty throughout the entire university improved undergraduate, graduate, research and centennial campus programs that resulted in substantial growth and prominence for the institution. To honor his commitment to supporting graduate education, the NCSU Board of Trustees renamed the Engineering Graduate Research Center on Centennial Campus to the Monteith Research Center.

After retiring from NCSU 1998, he spent many years writing and publishing a book about education in North Carolina entitled “In Pursuit of Prosperity”. In his younger years, he was an avid golfer and spent many years as a member of the North Ridge Country Club.

Larry is survived by his loving wife of 71 years, Nancy Alexander Monteith; children, Carol Monteith Carroll (Kenny), Larry Alexander Monteith (Lucy), Steve King Monteith (Rhonda);brother, grandchildren, Nancy Carroll Norris (Joseph), Lee Carroll (Taylor), Stephen Carroll, Bain Monteith (Kelsi), Brett Monteith, Ruby Monteith, Jack Talkington, Zoe Gutierrez Alviter, Megan Monteith Alexander (Drew), Alexa Monteith Boylston (Sam); great grandchildren, Maddie, Mallory, Kenlee Lynn Norris, Kamryn and Kason Carroll, Rorie Ann Alexander.

In addition to his parents, Larry was preceded in death by his brothers, David Monteith, Jack Hyde.

The family would like to thank the loving owners of Senior Fluent (the Maple), Blake and Helen Koenekamp, and his compassionate caregivers, Larry Ashley, Margi Artis, Keana Daniels, Monicalynne Eason, Linda Fowler, Rochelle Fowler, Maria Hernandez de Keefer, Ashanta Holland, Courtney Jacques, Melissa Middleton, LeAnn Miller, Tammy Patterson, Maurica Pridgen, Carmel Quimby, Teresa Robinson, Katrina Smith, Devona Yarborough and Stephine Yarborough that cared for Larry.

A Celebration of Larry’s Life was held on Friday, November 10th in the Mausoleum Chapel of Raleigh Memorial Park. Officiating was Rev. Robert Kennel, of Covenant Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Cary, NC.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Larry K. & Nancy A. Monteith Endowed Scholarship Fund at NCSU by using the link below, under ‘Donations’.

If you would like to leave a favorite memory / story of Larry, or a message of condolence for his family, you may do so below, under 'Add A Memory'.