Larry Wollam

Larry D. Wollam

(April 10, 1940 - July 26, 2026)

Larry D. Wollam, 86, a lifelong resident of Tucson, AZ, died the afternoon of Sunday, July 26, 2026.

He was born in Powell, WY, April 10, 1940, to Dale Arnold Carl and Beth (Sheets) Hagstrom [Wollam]. He graduated from Powell High School with the Class of 1958, and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force Sept. 22, 1958. He served 4 years active duty, two of which he was stationed in Greenland, Denmark at Thule Air Force Base (Pituffik Space Base), remaining two from 1960 at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, and extended his military service with 20 years in the Navy Reserve Sea Bees based in Tucson, AZ.

Larry was an accredited and juried photo-realism artist, creating over 100 original art pieces. In addition, he was an acclaimed fine art teacher, mentoring students in mediums of colored and graphite pencil, pastel and watercolor. He began his 54-year teaching career in 1972 at the Pima County Natural Resources Parks and Recreation Department, with many students under Larry’s keen-eye instruction of 10 to upwards of 40+ years. Larry won numerous awards for his art including admission to the prestigious ‘Birds in Art’ from the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wisconsin, the ‘Vanishing Circles’ touring exhibition with the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Art Institute, the Mountain Oyster Club Art Show Gallery in Tucson, the Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild and many others.

He enjoyed photography, wildlife, nature, hiking, canoeing and collecting. He traveled frequently from the Southwest deserts to the prairie plains of Yellowstone. His bond of 20+ years with a hiking group of friends also ran deep. His first trip down the Grand Canyon was in 2007 with eight more subsequent trips, including four raft trips down the full length of the canyon.

He is survived by his two sisters and their families, Diane (Wollam) Thornton, of Torrington, WY; Connie (Wollam) Martin, of Powell, WY; his two sons, Patrick Dean Wollam, of Denver, CO; Marc Wollam, of La Mesa, CA; daughter, Wendi Wollam, of Stevens Point, WI; former step-children Matt King and Tara King Taylor; four grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.

His parents and a brother, Rudy Wollam, preceded him in death.

A celebration of life will be determined at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the following, in honor of Larry D. Wollam: Tucson Colored Pencil Artists Association; Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild; Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Art Institute, of Tucson, AZ; or Susan Kathleen Black Foundation, of Houston, TX (artist workshops in Dubois, WY).