Lawrence Fredrick Scalise

Lawrence Fredrick Scalise, surrounded by his loving family, peacefully passed away on June 12, 2015 at Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara. He will be truly missed by all.
Larry was born to Mary and Albert Scalise on April 25, 1933 in Des Moines, Iowa. The younger brother of Teresa (Scalise) Lemus. A lifelong resident of the state of Iowa, Larry and his wife Molly moved to Santa Barbara, California, in 2000.
He graduated from the University of Iowa Law School, receiving his L.L.B degree in 1958. The world would never be the same.
A fixture in the Iowa legal system for decades, Larry’s career as an attorney extended to all corners of the state and eventually the nation. His most prominent role was as Attorney General of Iowa from 1965-1967. One of the most important pieces of work during this time was to schedule Auto Safety Hearings as part of the National Highway Safety Act. This eventually led to the implementation of seat belts in every car.
Since the 1960s, Larry had been in private practice, becoming one of the state’s most prominent attorneys.
In 1995, Larry left Des Moines and accepted an assignment with the Federal Government becoming Deputy Independent Counsel in the matter of Henry Cisneros, the then U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development in Washington, DC.
He also served as a court-appointed mediator for the Superior Court of Santa Barbara, having become a certified mediator by the American Academy of ADR Attorneys in 2004.
Larry’s most impressive attribute was the way in which he influenced people’s lives for the better in the courtroom, at a party, and at home. His life was all about family, friends and colleagues. He was a great adviser and mentor. His ability to make anyone he met feel like family was a true gift. His warmth and hospitality will long be remembered. His love of cooking, food and wine were epic. There was always a place at his table for everyone.
In addition to his busy life practicing law, Larry was a devoted husband, brother, uncle, cousin, father and grandfather. More than anything, family was most important. Larry is survived by his wife Molly (Murphy) Scalise, seven children and 15 grandchildren.
Special thanks to Dr. Jeffrey Kupperman, Dr. Alan Rosenblum, Dr. Jeffrey Sager and all of the nurses involved in Larry’s care these last 3 months, as well as the staff at Cottage Hospital South 5, MICU, Rehabilitation Hospital and Alto Lucero Transitional Care.
A celebration of Larry’s life will be held at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 1300 East Valley Road, Montecito, CA on Thursday, June 18th at 11 am.