Lawrence Allen Block, MD

Beloved husband, father, physician, and teacher

With heavy hearts, we share that Dr. Lawrence Allen Block passed away on May 16, 2026, in Mount Dora, FL, following a battle with appendiceal cancer. He was 81.

Lawrence (“Larry”) was born October 13, 1944, to Stanley and Camilla (Lehman) Block in Louisville, Kentucky.

Raised and educated in Roman Catholic schools, Larry developed a lifelong appreciation for faith, learning, and service. He graduated from Trinity High School and attended Bellarmine College (now Bellarmine University), where he initially planned to become a high school biology teacher. Encouraged by the chair of the biology department, he set his sights on medicine and completed his degree in three years, graduating magna cum laude in 1966. He earned his medical degree from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in 1969 and completed his pediatric residency there in 1972. During residency, he was twice named Teaching Resident of the Year by the Student American Medical Association.

He met Mary Frances (Cole) while both were medical students at the University of Kentucky. They were married in 1968 and remained devoted partners in life and medicine for more than five decades. Together they built a family with Douglas, Leslie, and Nicholas.

After completing his residency, Larry and Mary Frances moved to Oklahoma City in 1972, where he served at Tinker Air Force Base. After active duty, he continued at Tinker in civil service. He expanded his work with children and families through consultation with regional guidance centers, supporting students with learning differences and helping educators and parents better understand learning disabilities.

In 1983, he entered private practice in pediatrics, where he served families for more than two decades. He also taught and precepted extensively, including work with osteopathic medical students and faculty, and was recognized three times as Instructor of the Year. Larry and Mary Frances retired together in 2004.

Larry’s life was defined by discipline, curiosity, and generosity. An extraordinary athlete in his youth, he excelled in baseball, tennis, and track - setting six school track records at Bellarmine, four of which still stand years later. He was inducted into the Bellarmine Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009. He carried that same drive into his professional life, and he was at his happiest when he could teach, coach, and encourage others.

As a child, after attending a concert of the Louisville Symphony Orchestra, Larry developed a lifelong love of orchestral music, theater, and high-end audio - interests he enjoyed nearly every day. He was also an avid amateur photographer with an extraordinary archive of images.

He is fondly remembered as a steadfast source of support for family and friends whenever help was needed. Faith remained central to Larry’s life, and he deeply valued the communities he found in the ELCA Lutheran Church and later the Episcopal Church. At St. James Episcopal Church in Leesburg, he served on committees and the vestry and, with Mary Frances, hosted elegant dinner parties in their home as fundraiser prizes.

After retirement, he and Mary Frances traveled widely and shared a deep love of horses and trail riding. Together they made their home on Grand Lake in Grove, Oklahoma, and later settled permanently in Florida in 2018.

Dr. Block was preceded in death by his wife, Dr. Mary Frances Block; his son, Douglas Block; and his parents, Stanley and Camilla Block.

He is survived by his daughter, Dr. Leslie Block, and her daughter, Alyssa; his son, Nicholas Block, his wife, Amanda, and their children, Seeley and Callen; also siblings, Michael Block, Bruce Block, Kenneth Block, Dr. Stanley Block, Jr., Cathy Cook, and Dr. Mary Block.

A requiem mass will be held for Dr. Block at St. James Episcopal Church, Leesburg, FL, on June 13, 2026, 11am, with a celebration of life to follow. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Episcopal Church Women (ECW) of St. James Episcopal Church, Leesburg, FL.

Arrangements are under the careful care of Allen J Harden Funeral Home.