Lawrence Preston Moss, III

Lawrence Preston Moss, III known to most everyone as LP, passed away on October 10 2026 at his residence at the Chatham Health and Rehabilitation Center, after facing the challenges of dementia. He was 83 years old. True to the way he lived, LP left this world surrounded by love, holding the hand of his dear cousin Linda and singing the words to a cherished hymn.

LP was born on December 15, 1942, in Danville, Virginia to Lawrence Preston Moss, Jr and Sagasta Onieda Shreve Moss. From his earliest days he was a people person through and through, the kind of man who could strike up a conversation with a stranger and leave them feeling like an old friend. He loved being around others, loved to make them laugh, and was quite a character in every sense of the word. Those who knew him best remember a man of honesty and integrity, someone who valued those same qualities in others and who remained a loyal friend through all of life's seasons.

He graduated from Virginia Polytechnic Institute, an institution that would hold a lifelong place in his heart, especially come college football season, when he cheered on his beloved Hokies with great devotion. His working life was as varied and interesting as the man himself. He began as a teacher at Chatham High School, then went on to sell insurance for Combined Insurance Company. After his mother passed away, he owned and ran H & S Furniture store for two years. He later worked as a salesman for Southern Foods. Perhaps most memorably, he spent time at Danville Social Services, where he helped people find jobs and get off welfare. He took such joy in their success that he rang a cowbell every single time someone landed a job, a small, happy tradition that said everything about the kind of man he was. He was a hard worker who took genuine pride in a job well done, and he carried a positive mental attitude with him no matter what came his way.

L.P. married the love of his life, Jo Lee Bryant Moss, and together they built a family and a lifetime of memories. He was a devoted husband and father, and family was at the very center of who he was.

When he wasn't working, L.P. knew how to live. He loved to dance and never missed a dance at the Senior Center. He had a deep love for Bluegrass music and often made his way to festivals to hear it played. He enjoyed a good card game, took pleasure in simple competition, and had a soft spot for animals, especially dogs. He was a man who loved to see the world, and see it he did, visiting all fifty states and traveling to Italy, China, Canada, Mexico, Costa Rica, the Panama Canal, the Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas. On quieter days, you might find him watching NASCAR racing or rooting for his Hokies on the gridiron.

L.P. gave generously of his time to his community. He served on the board of the Senior Center in Danville for a number of years and was a Masonic member of the Carter Lodge in Spring Garden, Virginia. Above all, his faith anchored him. He was a faithful and active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 1977, and his devotion to God shaped the way he treated everyone he met.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Jo Lee Bryant Moss; his daughter, Elizabeth Jo Moss; and his parents, Lawrence Preston Moss, Jr. and Sagasta Oneida Shreve Moss.

L.P. is survived by his daughters, Michele West of Las Vegas, NV and Kim Lopez of Reno, NV; his granddaughter Mary West; and his grandchildren Alexa Lopez, Leo Lopez, and Nicolas Lopez. They, along with countless friends, will carry forward his laughter, his loyalty, and his love of life. The family wishes to give special thanks to Linda Edwards and Teresa Edwards Moody who worked tirelessly to provide LP with everything he needed and special care at the end of his life.

As his earthly task came to an end, L.P. slipped peacefully from this life while singing the words that had long given him comfort:

He leadeth me

Oh blessed thought!

O words with heavenly comfort fraught!

Whate'er I do, where'er I be,

Still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me.

He leadeth me, He leadeth me;

By His own hand He leadeth me;

His faithful follower I would be,

For by His hand He leadeth me.

Sometimes 'mid scenes of deepest gloom,

Sometimes where Eden's bowers bloom,

By waters still, o'er troubled sea,

Still 'tis His hand that leadeth me.

Lord, I would place my hand in Thine,

Nor ever murmur nor repine;

Content, whatever lot I see,

Since 'tis my God that leadeth me.

And when my task on earth is done,

When, by Thy grace, the victory's won,

E'en death's cold wave I will not flee,

Since God through Jordan leadeth me.

The funeral service will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 3058 N. Main St., Danville, VA 24540 on Friday, October 23, 2026, at 11:00 AM. The family will receive visitors at Towns Funeral Home, 215 West Main St., Danville, VA 24541 on Thursday, October 22, 2026, 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM. Interment will follow at the Bryant Family Cemetery on Route 640 between Chestnut Level and Spring Garden.

The sound of a cowbell, the music of a bluegrass festival, the warmth of a good laugh shared among friends; these are the things that will forever remind us of L.P. May he rest in the loving hands that led him all his days.