Larry Layfield

Larry Thomas Layfield, age 70, of Garden Valley died on Sunday, May 7, 2023.

Funeral services will be held at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Garden Valley on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at 11:00 am.  Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Visitation is scheduled for Wednesday from 6 to 8 pm at the funeral home.

Mr. Larry Thomas Layfield was born September 19, 1952, in Ideal, Georgia to Weaver and Leona Harbuck Layfield.

He attended grammar school in Marshallville, Georgia, junior high in Oglethorpe, Georgia and graduated from Macon County High School in Montezuma, Georgia. He attended Georgia Southwestern for one year.

Mr. Layfield was a member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Garden Valley. He served as associate pastor, Sunday School teacher, church clerk and treasurer. He was an ordained deacon and served on the Deacon Board.

His life work was at Robins Air Force Base in Warner Robins, where he was employed for 36 years from 1971 to 2007. He was a U.S. Air Force portfolio manager for acquisition and modification programs and depot work averaging $100 to $150 million a year. He held several key leadership and management positions in Special Operations Forces and had supervisory positions with the Department of Defense Special Operation Forces from 1988 to 2007.  He achieved multi-command and multi-service experience with the headquarters for the U.S. Special Operations Command, the Air Force Special Command, the Air Force Space Command, the Air and Education Command, the National Guard Bureau, the Air Force Reserve Command, the U.S. Navy, the U.S. Army and the U.S. Coast Guard. He had international experience with the Israeli Air Force, German Army, Royal Australian Air Force and the British Royal Air Force. As part of his work, he traveled to many foreign countries.

After his retirement he continued to work as a support contractor with several companies which served Robins Air Force Base.

As a result of his work, Mr. Layfield received an Exemplary Civil Service Medal for outstanding contributions to Special Operations Forces/Combat Search and Rescue in 2002.

He was an avid deer hunter and enjoyed fishing.

Survivors are his loving wife, Cathy Jinks Layfield of Reynolds, Georgia, his son, Jason Thomas Layfield of Reynolds, Georgia; his daughter, Tiffany Layfield Coker and her husband, Ashley, of Reynolds, GA; a step-daughter, Lori Buice Brown and her husband, Christopher, of Ellaville, Georgia; a brother, Weaver Michael Layfield and his wife, Julie, of Perry, Georgia; seven grandchildren, Rebecca Layfield, Gage Layfield, Austin, Aiden and Madison Coker, Michael and Nicholas Brown; one great granddaughter, Lily Grace Brown.

Contributions may be made to Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, 2061 Butler Mill Road, Reynolds, GA 31076.

You may sign the online guest register at www.mcleightonfuneralservice.com

McLeighton Funeral Service of Reynolds is in charge of arrangements.

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