Lawrence "Larry" William Roven

August 3, 1938 - April 4, 2020

Larry Roven, 81, known by most as “Yehuda,” passed away on Saturday, April 4, after a five-month stay at Celia’s House Hospice in Medford, OR. Born in Stamford, Connecticut in 1938, he had been an Oregon resident more than 40 years, living in Eugene and Ashland. He earned a BS degree in Electrical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1961 and had been enrolled in the graduate architecture program there when he left school to form a successful business with a partner manufacturing silk-screened textiles and avant-garde neckwear under the Noose brand. The business was sold five years later and Larry moved to the West Coast, initially to the San Francisco Bay area. There he studied piano and voice at the College of Marin while working as a baker. He moved to Eugene in 1979 and went on to operate his own bakery in Ashland, “Yehuda’s Dog Boy Bread.” In his later years he focused on singing and songwriting as an accomplished guitarist and pianist playing at many local venues in the Ashland area. Larry was a beloved Core Team member of the Southern Oregon Pachamama Alliance community, he participated with the Ashland Culture of Peace, and was also a member of the Bellview Grange and the Ashland Mooji Sangha. His music, humor, wisdom, and kindness will be missed by all and he will be fondly remembered for his love of his dogs and his efforts which led to the establishment of the Ashland Dog Park. In addition to his many friends and admirers in Oregon, he is survived by his sister Elaine, 87, of Stamford, CT and his brother, Fred, 73, of Martha’s Vineyard, MA and three generations of nieces and nephews. Those who wish to honor Larry are encouraged to make donations in his memory to the Friends of Hospice 217 S Modoc Av. Medford 97504 or charitable organization of their choice.