Joseph W. Larkin

Joseph William Larkin, 83, of Trenton, New Jersey, Greenville, South Carolina, and, ultimately, Evans, Georgia, died in his home on Monday, June 15, 2026.

Joe’s personality, much like his heart, was larger than life. He had a booming voice that sometimes proved problematic. For instance, his attempts at whispering failed miserably, leading to more than a few instances of him sticking his foot in his mouth. Despite that, he never met a stranger, and his sense of humor drew people into his orbit. If you met him, you would remember (good or bad). His family will miss him dearly.

Now for the formal obituary stuff: Joe was born on May 12, 1943, in Trenton, New Jersey. In his early 20s, Joe fell in love with the drums. He played in bands across the country in his 20s through his early 30s and otherwise played professionally for most of his life. One fateful gig brought him to Greenville, South Carolina. It was there that he met the love of his life, Gail Coker. They married in 1974 and remained at each other’s side for the next thirty-seven years until Gail’s death in July 2012. Joe then moved to Evans, Georgia. While Joe put on a brave face during the last chapter of his life, his mind rarely strayed from thoughts of his wife.

Beyond his faithful devotion (that bordered on worship) to Gail, Joe was a fantastic dad. He always had time to coach his three sons in any sport they chose, regardless whether he actually knew the rules or finer aspects of the sport, like how many players were supposed to be on the field at once. He supported them through thick and thin, offering only love (appropriately tough at times) and compassion to usher them through many (some self-created) perils. This same devotion carried over when Joe transitioned from Dad to Papa. Papa helped coach his grandchildren and otherwise doted on them.

Joe is preceded in death by Imogene Cloward Soldano (mother), Thomas J. Larkin (father), Frank Cloward (“Unk”), Thomas J. Larkin (brother), Frank J. Soldano (brother), Rita Nebora (sister), and his loving wife, Gail.

Joe is survived by his three sons, Gregg (Jennifer), Geoff (Kelly), and Glenn (Eva); 9 grandchildren, Gabe, Whitney, Tyler, Reid, Murphy, Charlie, Rory, Grace, and Gail; and 6 great-grandchildren, Caroline, Elana, Noah, Liam, Isiaiah, and Skylar. Joe is also survived by his sister, Dr. Lucille Soldano, sister-in-law, Mary Soldano, and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 AM Tuesday, June 23, 2026, at Platt’s Funeral Home in Evans, Georgia.

Arrangements were entrusted to Platt’s Funeral Home, 337 N. Belair Road, Evans, GA 30809 (706) 860-6166. Please take a moment to share your condolences by signing the online guestbook at plattsfuneralhome.com.