Lawrence Franklin Haygood Sr. (Larry), founder of Southern Vocational College, formerly located in Tuskegee, and long-time proponent of the people in Macon County, died Tuesday, October 19. He was 78.
Haygood was known locally for his passion toward civic engagements. He was a member of the founding boards for Southeast Alabama Self Help Association (SEASHA), the Tuskegee Area Health Education Committee (TAHEC), and the Tuskegee Macon County Community Development Corporation.
He served for eight years as Chairman of the Macon County Commission, and along with other commissioners, was instrumental in establishing the Macon County Water Authority.
In 1969, Haygood, with the support of his wife, Bennie Shepherd “Shep” Taylor Haygood, founded Southern Vocational College with the sole purpose of improving the quality of life of individuals and their families through affordable education. Haygood believed in the dignity of work and felt that given the opportunity and access to training, individuals would choose to better their circumstances through education.
Larry dedicated 38 years of his life to the institution, which saw its final graduating class enter the work force in August of 2007.
Haygood was born March 29, 1933 in Coffee Springs to Roy and Venetta Tyrus Haygood.
After culminating a successful college career in 1955, Larry was recommended to attend Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Va. In 1960 he became the first black to graduate from this institution, receiving a Master of Divinity and distinguishing himself as a Greek and Hebrew scholar.
He later received an honorary Doctorate of Philosophy from Mary Holmes College.
Larry pastored churches in Virginia, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia.
Haygood is survived by three children, three siblings, seven grandchildren and one great-grand child. He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife of 50 years and two brothers, Horace and Robert.
