Obituary of Merrill Laven

MERRILL. L. LAVEN Sarasota, FL 1930-2009 Merrill L. Laven, 79, died suddenly on Saturday April 18, 2009 at his home in Sarasota. Merrill was a native of Albany, NY and a resident of Sarasota since 1982. He was a graduate of Albany High School and Siena College and served in the US Army during the Korean War. Merrill and his father founded Pacific Pools in Latham, NY in 1956. As a result of his innovative products, patents, and vision, he built the business from a local retail construction company to the nations' largest manufacturer of inground swimming pools and is known today as Latham International. He was an avid and accomplished golfer, recording 8 or more holes in one, and he was proud of his double eagle in pro-am tournament play in Gleneagles, Scotland. While living in Albany, he won the club championship at Colonie Country Club. He was a member of Gator Creek Golf Club in Sarasota and was able to 'shoot his age' several times in recent years. His love of the game of golf was one of his passions, and the basis of many of his life long friendships. He enjoyed travel, having seen much of the world, and he had played many of the top golf courses in both the US and Europe. Merrill spent almost twenty summers at his home on Lake George in Bolton Landing, NY. He played golf there at The Sagamore and Glens Falls CC and enjoyed fishing and boating. He loved automobiles his entire life, and owned some of the most exotic cars ever produced. His youthful spirit and optimism enabled him to maintain friendships with people of all ages. He is survived by his two sons, Mark (Leslie) Laven and Robert (LeeAnn) Laven, his grandchildren Alyson (Jason) Finkelstein, Andrew Laven, and Chloe Laven, and his great grandson Adam Finkelstein. He is also survived by his sister Sue (Bill) Freedman, three step-daughters, Terri North, Pam Bradford and her daughters Rebecca and Lydia, and Rachel (Robert) Zipay, and their son Benjamin and his dear friend Judy Barnet. Friends are welcome to remember Merrill on Tuesday evening, April 21st from 6:00 - 8:00 pm at 100 Central Avenune in Sarasota. In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the Merrill L. Laven Memorial Fund of the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, 2635 Fruitville Rd., Sarasota, FL 34237.