Larry Dale McCloud

LARRY McCLOUD, 50, of Huntington, WV, died Sunday, March 23, 2025. He was born November 20, 1974, in Huntington, WV, to Deborah McCloud and the late James McCloud. He was also preceded in death by his father-in-law, Stephen C. Shy, DO. In addition to his mother, he is survived by his loving wife of 27 years, Stephanie; son, Austin (Allison); daughter, Karli (Connor); son, Branson; mother-in-law, Nancy Shy; brothers and sisters-in-law, Stephen C. Shy II, DO (Cindy) and Stacey Shy (Jody); siblings Glenn Nelson (Joy), Steven McCloud (Kelly), and Stacy Henry (Tommy); and granddaughter, Rylan Shy-Anne McCloud.

Larry was a 1992 graduate of Buffalo Wayne High School, where he played football and was named the West Virginia High School Prep Player of the Year and the Morgantown Touchdown Club’s West Virginia Player of the Year as a senior. He led Buffalo Wayne to the 1992 AA State Championship in West Virginia, beating Magnolia 7-0 and scoring the game’s only touchdown. He then committed to playing football at Marshall University, where he was red-shirted in 1993, then started the next four years as the Thundering Herd’s middle linebacker.

Known as one of the hardest hitters to ever don the pads at Marshall, Larry averaged nearly 120 tackles per season over his four-year career. He was named First Team All-Southern Conference in 1995 and 1996, leading the Herd to a 12-3 national finalist finish in 1995, and a 15-0 mark in 1996 that resulted in both a Southern Conference Championship and an NCAA Division 1-AA National Championship. Consequently, his play in 1996 also earned him a Second Team All-America selection by The Sports Network.

In his 1997 senior season, Larry was named a captain of the Thundering Herd, which jumped to the Mid-American Conference in Division 1-A. Marshall won the conference championship with a 10-2 record, and the team advanced to the school’s first bowl in a half-century, the Motor City Bowl, which the Herd narrowly lost to Ole Miss by a score of 34-31.

Larry’s 451 career tackles remain to this day the third most in school history. In 2009, he was inducted into the Marshall University Athletic Hall of Fame for his outstanding contributions to the team’s success.

Larry was a long-time employee of Champion Industries in Huntington, and a member of the 26th Street Church of Christ. He enjoyed a special friendship with his head coach and mentor at Marshall, Bobby Pruett, which continued long after Larry’s days as a football player. Beyond football, he will be remembered for his love of family dinners; supporting his children as they lived out their dreams; numerous building and remodeling projects; grilling out with family at the pool; afternoons and evenings at the baseball field; and giving his nephews a hard time about the Cleveland Browns.

Visitation for friends will take place at Reger Funeral Home, Huntington on Tuesday, March 25, from 5 to 7 p.m., following a private visitation for family from 4 to 5 p.m. Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, March 26, at 26th Street Church of Christ, 101 26th Street, in Huntington.  Burial will follow in Hillcrest Cemetery, Kenova, WV.  In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.  Condolences may be made at www.regerfh.com.