Attorney
Larry M. Dingle
June 26, 1949 –
February 6, 2022
Larry M. Dingle, a leading Atlanta attorney, former Clerk of City Council and beloved family man and friend, died Sunday, February 6, 2022, at the age of 72.
Larry served the city of Atlanta as a police officer and City Council Clerk under its first Black mayors, Maynard Jackson and Andrew Young. Former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, who worked in the administrations of both Jackson and Young, recalled Larry during those years. “Around City Hall in the 1970’s, Larry was known as a man on a mission. The mission to be smart, informed and helpful. Always a gentleman, Larry brought a commitment of honest, thoughtful public service to his work no matter the size or complexity of the challenge.’’
Franklin also noted the compassion and humanity Larry demonstrated in his relationships. “Open and confident, Larry was always humble and respectful of others’ opinions even in the most heated discussions,” she said. “He listened, and he cared about the short- and long-term impact of policy and practice on the people of Atlanta. He set an example as of one of the most effective public officials in the contemporary history of Atlanta.”
His was a life of determination and courage. According to his History Makers biography housed in the Library of Congress, Larry was “an agent of change’’ in his hometown of Dillon, S.C., where he was in the first class to desegregate the local high school.
Larry left Dillon to attend Morehouse College for his undergraduate degree and transferred to Georgia State University, where he was awarded his BA degree in 1974 followed by a JD law degree in 1987.
While working his way through school, he became a police officer in 1969 for the City of Atlanta and was a member of the Crime Analysis Team. He then served as Clerk of Council for the Atlanta City Council from 1977 until 1990, establishing the legislative record-keeping and operational processes that remain in use today.
Larry was an excellent and well-respected lawyer and a partner at Wilson, Brock and Irby for over 25 years. At the firm, he was a leader in the practice areas of zoning and land use, land use litigation, and local government law. Prominent projects and clients included the CIM Group’s The Gulch/Centennial Yards, Regent Partners’ expansion and redevelopment of Phipps Plaza into a mixed-use development; extensive work on Coca-Cola Company matters including Coca-Cola Olympic City and its subsequent redevelopment into the New World of Coca-Cola Museum and the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Other noteworthy projects include the 330-acre redevelopment of Fort MacPherson army base into Tyler Perry Studios, the creation of the Edgewood Retail District, and the conversion of Turner Field Stadium into a Georgia State University facility after the Braves’ departure.
Larry’s law partner John Irby noted that “a common thread throughout all of Larry Dingle’s endeavors was his enormous wisdom about people, his innate respect for others, and his self-effacing manner.” His talents included an ability to build consensus across diverse communities, bringing even fierce opponents into amicable agreement. His ingenuity in negotiating roadblocks salvaged resolution from seemingly intractable standoffs.
`I’m just a farm boy from South Carolina,” Larry often said; a description that made his family, friends and professional colleagues laugh.
Larry was also a sought-after and deeply appreciated mentor to many, including lawyers, those whom he inspired to attend law school, and those with no interest in the law who still benefitted from his tutelage. His mentees recall his guidance always favored inspiration over instruction, and often featured references to his favorite writers, philosophers, and works of poetry.
Beyond the legal profession, Larry served as a member of the Advisory Board of Directors for Synovous Bank, a member of the Board of Directors of Scicom Infrastructure Services, Inc., and as a member of the Board of Directors for ArtsBridge Foundation.
Larry had multiple degrees and many job titles, all marked by moments of remarkable success. Above all, his focus and priorities centered around faith, family, and friends. He attended Impact Church in East Point, Georgia. He often shared that Katherine, his wife of 35 years, was his self-acknowledged “guide on how to blend, nourish and nurture all of his children, siblings, in-laws and extended family into one caring and inclusive family.” Following those three life pillars he and his “Road Dog” buddies added a fourth – golf.
His lifelong friend and leader of the “Road Dogs” golf crew Carl Ware said, “Larry Dingle was my best friend and there are no words to adequately describe the relationship that Larry and I shared for a period of 50 years. We were trusted colleagues, Brothers in the bond of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, and mentors who embraced each other’s dreams and aspirations. We laughed together, we played golf together, we planned together, and we prayed for one another. I loved him; I will miss him! “Dings” was my best friend.”
Larry was born in rural Dillon, South Carolina on June 26, 1949, the son of Trumella Dingle and Montgomery McKenzie. He was raised by his maternal grandparents, Eugene and Charity Dingle, who provided the love and warmth of his earliest memories and taught him to take pride in everything he did. He first discovered his love for hunting at age ten on the family farm; he shared it with his grandfather as a child and his sons throughout his adult life.
Larry was preceded in death by both parents, Trumella Dingle and Montgomery McKenzie; maternal grandparents, Eugene and Charity Dingle; siblings, Frederick Thomas, Chris McKenzie, Douglas Ford, Jerry Dingle and Linda Bayard.
Larry leaves to cherish his memory, his loving wife, Katherine Dingle; sons, Rodrick Dingle (Colleen), Joseph Dingle; daughters, Joice Harrington (Cedric), Tiffany Dingle Hammett; grandchildren, Dillon McKenzie-Dingle, Evan Dingle (Sarah), Maceo Dingle, Nigel McKenzie-Dingle, Mallory Hammett, Aleks Hammet, Eden McKenzie-Dingle, Cameron Hammett; great-grandchildren, Faithlynn Belson, Raven Dingle, and Iefan Dingle; siblings, Dorothy Newton (Curtis), John Carmichael (Agnes), Russell Gene Davis (Marossa); a host of uncles, aunt, nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, and dear friends.
If you would like to honor Larry’s memory via charities to which he was deeply committed, the family invites you to make a donation to the following:
• Atlanta Community Food Bank – www.acfb.org
• Arts Bridge Foundation –
