From Ray Gronso

Col. El “Lucky” Larabee 01-12-1918 ~ 03-16-2008 During the era when Serge Coronas was producing the Yaarab Shrine Circus Col. Lucky Larabee graciously accepted an invitation from the Duggan-Maley Tent to speak at a luncheon for the Atlanta fans . Thus began a long and close relationship between a very remarkable gentleman and members of the Atlanta Tent. After listening to Lucky one easily understood why the fans in Ohio had decided to honor him in 1988. CFA fan Jim Saunders pushed for and was successful in adding his name to form what has since been known as the Harold Barnes—Col. Lucky Larabee Tent No. 110 of Springfield, Ohio. Lucky was proud of his nickname which he claimed to have earned from other Shrine members while playing poker. I personally witnessed the extent of his luck one day while attending a performance of the circus. He was alert and attentive to his duties as ringmaster when he noticed a rigger was struggling with a piece of equipment. Had Lucky not yelled “Heads up” one of the Shrine clowns would surely have been seriously injured or killed by a falling metal bar. It was a very close call and I have no doubt that Lucky had saved a life that day. A stroke during a date in Shreveport, Louisiana forced him into early retirement. But at the age of 84, Lucky and his wife Joni still had the desire to travel and drove from their home in Fort Myers Beach to Alaska. They were driving their brand new motor-home and stopped in Atlanta for a visit. It is my understanding that Alaska was the only remaining state that Lucky had not yet visited. The trip took its toll on his health and his desire to travel and he made only one visit to Atlanta after that. Last summer Lucky and Joni sold their property and his beloved sail boat and moved the motor-home into a trailer park in North Fort Myers. Lucky started his career as a “bronco” rider. He did some movie stunt work in Hollywood “oaters” and later worked for Buck Jones in an exhibit at the San Francisco Exposition at Treasure Island in 1939. Lucky and his first wife Dorothy “Dee” Larabee, the mother of his children, also worked the New York Worlds Fair (Merry England Exhibit) in 1939 with a whip act. After the fair they formed a vaudeville troupe (Lucky Texas Larabee Enterprises) and worked the East Coast. Lucky served in WWII and about 1952 he and Joni started on the road as “Los Larabee’s Whips of the Argentine.” After some TV work in Chicago Joni began performing her aerial lyre act as “Miss Joni, Girl in the Heart.” Lucky, for years, played Atlanta as ringmaster of the Shrine circus. And what a showman he was. Lucky would announce flying tricks in English and then stage whisper the name in the most romantic sounding Spanish as if “the passing leap” were something that had originated in a Barcelona bedroom. He was an intelligent, creative and entertaining ringmaster. His ashes are to be shipped to Washington and then scattered on Mt. Rainier. He is survived by his wife Joni, sons Charles F. and Michael K. Larabee and daughters Patricia Simpson and Sandra Justen. Also, eight grandchildren, seven great grandchildren and three great, great grandchildren. from Ray Gronso