Meet Larry Ashley
Larry Ashley is rooted in the community and shares our traditional family values.
Like so many who live in Okaloosa County, Larry Ashley, now 43, spent most of his young childhood growing up on military bases around the country and across the sea. In Larry’s case, his father served as a Chief Machinist in the Navy and was stationed in such faraway places as Japan. One of his final duty assignments was in Milton, which brought Larry for the first time to northwest Florida and sparked his desire to someday return.
Geneva, Alabama was home to Larry during his high school years. His father, newly retired from the Navy, had purchased a 50-acre farm there. After class and on weekends, Larry helped his parents work the farm, as did Larry’s older brother and sister.
A career in law enforcement and public safety appealed to Larry from an early age. To realize his dream, he would become the first member of his family to attend college. Understanding the value of education, Larry would later go on to earn a master’s degree.
Larry was awarded an athletic scholarship at the University of Southern Mississippi, where he played football until a knee injury ended his college football career. Larry’s roommate lived in Fort Walton Beach and they often visited the area together. Before long, Okaloosa County became home to Larry.
With a desire to make Okaloosa County his permanent home, Larry interviewed directly with then-Sheriff Larry Gilbert, who agreed to hire Larry as soon as he graduated. In 1990, upon his graduation from the University of Southern Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, Larry immediately went to work as a patrol deputy with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Larry’s life has not been without adversity and personal challenges. Among other things, he lost his mother to cancer at an early age in 1988, and in 1995 his brother lost his life in Tallahassee in a vehicle accident during Hurricane Opal.
Happier times include meeting and marrying the girl of his dreams, the former Lanie Lee, of Fort Walton Beach. Both sides of Lanie’s family are among Okaloosa’s first pioneering families: the Lees and Etheredges.
In 1994, when Larry and Lanie married, Lanie was working as a Guidance Counselor at Baker School, where her grandmother also once taught. Today, Larry and Lanie have three children: Anna, 12; Robert, 11; and Ryan, 7. Each attends Okaloosa County public schools.
Larry has long been active in his church and community. Larry is a Sunday School teacher and Vice Chairman of the Finance Committee at the First Baptist Church of Fort Walton Beach. He serves as a youth sports coach and is a YMCA Board Member. Among other numerous civic activities, Larry is an Executive Board Member for the Okaloosa-Walton Homeless Coalition and has raised funds for such organizations as Victims of Domestic Violence and the American Heart Association.
During his 20 years with the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Larry has served under – and earned promotions from – three different sheriffs. Most recently, Larry was named Chief Deputy by our current sheriff, Ed Spooner, making Larry second in command. Over the past 20 years Larry has served in most departments and divisions, and at most ranks, within the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. He has earned numerous law enforcement distinguished service awards for his work.
Since being named Chief Deputy, Larry has been instrumental in cutting $2 million from the budget, implementing higher professional standards and initiating the process to earn Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation. In August 2009, Larry was awarded the Florida Senate Medal of Excellence for exposing the corruption that pervaded the former Sheriff’s high command.
In his free time, Larry’s interests include world history, biblical studies, sports, golfing, hunting and fishing.
Nothing would bring Larry more personal satisfaction and pride than to serve our community as our next Sheriff. He is running because he has a vision to bring a higher level of public safety to Okaloosa County, is qualified to serve, has local experience and insight, and is a proven cost-cutter and leader.
