Larry Carlton Dekle, M.D., 83

Larry Carlton Dekle, M.D., age 83, of Walnut Cove, NC, passed away Thursday, December 11, 2025, at his home. A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, June 20, at 2 p.m. at Quaker Gap Baptist Church. Family will receive friends following the service in the church fellowship hall.

At the time of Larry’s death, he was retired from active practice of Psychiatry after a 51-year long career as a physician. A native of Swainsboro, he held degrees from Emory University, Emory University School of Medicine, completed post graduate training at the University of Rochester, Harvard Medical School and Bowman Gray School of medicine. Dr. Dekle was a pediatrician for years before returning to school to be credentialed in his first professional love…psychiatry and practiced in that field since 1981. He always loved his work; he often said he would have done it even if he had not been paid to do it. Nothing pleased him more as a physician than to be able to play some small part toward making a difference in someone else’s life.

Dr. Dekle, along with his wife, was a member of Quaker Gap Baptist Church. They were active in the Quaker Gap Community Center, and both were committed to service in their church, county and community. Dr. Dekle said that he would rather not live in any other place on earth than Stokes County, NC. Studious in nature, he had many fellow life-long student friends over the years, but no more people he respected nor cared for than his talented, helpful, loyal and creative neighbors, fellow church members, and friends in Stokes County, NC.

Dr. Dekle is survived by his wife, Linda Hackney Dekle; son, Christopher Neal Dekle of Charlotte NC; stepson, Gregroy Odell Williams of Greensboro, NC; stepdaughter, Kathy Joe Shield of Summerville, SC; very proud “grandad” to his grandchildren, Sara Beth, Taylor, Madison Kate and Charles; two great-grandchildren, Noli and Fisher; brother, James Ivy Dekle of Swainsboro; and numerous nephews and nieces.

Memorials may be made to: Quaker Gap Baptist Church, 2265 Flat Shoals Road, King, NC 27021 or to the charity of the donor’s choice.

Burroughs Funeral Home, Walnut Cove is honored to be serving the Dekle family.