He served in the army for 20 years, being located in four different states and three different countries. He was born and raised in Albert Lea, and after traveling all over the world, he’s back at the high school he graduated from and is known as “Larry the lunch guy”.
Larry Lahs, current lunch room monitor at ALHS, can be seen keeping the peace in the lunch room and directing the crowd through the lunch line. But this faculty member is someone different; he is someone who has roots in Albert Lea and a hope for the students here.
Born and raised in Albert Lea, Lahs graduated in from ALHS 1961 and joined the army the same year. But joining the army didn’t stop Lahs from marrying his high school sweetheart just a year after enlisting. The two are still married and have been for the past 49 years.
Lahs has three children, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Freshman Chrissy Meza is one of Lahs’s grandchildren. She gets to see her grandfather every day at school, and her family frequently goes over to his house for meals.
“He inspires me to work hard,” Meza said.
During his 20-year army career, Lahs served for various lengths of time in the states of Maine, Alaska, Texas and California and in the countries of Korea, Vietnam and Germany. He then retired to El Paso, Texas in 1981, and worked for the city of El Paso and the federal government.
But the home of his childhood was calling to him, so Lahs and his wife decided to move back to Albert Lea.
“I asked my wife if she wanted to move back home to Albert Lea, which was always home, and she said yes,” Lahs said.
Lahs then came to work for the Albert Lea School District until 2006, as a custodian; he then again retired. This didn’t last long, however, because he missed being around the students.
“Being around kids keeps you young,” Lahs said.
Lahs was hired back in 2007, as a lunchroom monitor for the high school and currently serves in the same position.
“I enjoy it very much,” Lahs said.
Lahs has impacted many people, all the way from Germany to Albert Lea High School. Many who come in contact with him seem to be affected by his friendliness. Junior Addison Petersen is one of these people.
“He always has a smile on his face, and it seems like he really enjoys his job and the students,” Petersen said.
Lahs has definitely traveled the world and experienced much. With this he has some advice for the students at ALHS and for generations to come.
“They need to get their high school education and everybody should go to college,” Lahs said.