August 21, 2023
By: Dwayne Page
A well-known couple and business owners beloved by the community celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary Saturday.
Larry and Deborah Hancock were joined by family and friends at the Elizabeth Chapel Baptist Church gym for the happy occasion to enjoy fellowship and refreshments. The venue was decorated with balloons and featured a 50th anniversary cake as well as a display of memorable “over the years” photos of Larry and Deborah.
The couple were married on August 16, 1973.
Larry is the son of late James and Joann Hancock of Gassaway, and he has one brother, Gary. Hancock’s father, James had cut timber for a living and served for several years as Road Supervisor in Cannon County. Joann was owner and operator of Woodbury Insurance Agency, now run by one of Larry and Deborah’s sons, Travis Hancock.
Deborah is the daughter of the late Clifford and Josie Pack of Smithville, who for many years owned and operated Pack’s Plumbing and Electric. Deborah has two sisters and a brother still living, Dianna Adams, Darlene Evans, and Daniel Pack. Another brother, David Pack died in 2019.
Larry and Deborah first met at a family fish supper when the two were high school sophomores in November 1970.
“Deborah’s mom and dad were having a fish supper and my mom and dad were invited by Allen Hooper, who was also attending, to join them there and that’s where we met,” said Larry.
Larry and Deborah kept in touch and began dating. They fell in love and tied the knot almost three years after that first meeting.
“We bought our first house on Pack Circle after we got married and lived there until 1987,” recalled Deborah. “We then bought the house on McMinnville Highway where we are still living today”.
Initially they held down separate jobs to make ends meet.
“I worked in McMinnville at Citizen’s State Bank when we got married and Larry worked for my dad for a couple of years at Pack’s Plumbing and Electric and then he built houses with John Agee, Floyd Agee, and Garland Johnson,” said Deborah.
In 1980, the Hancock’s started their own business, “Larry’s Discount Grocery”, which they still own and operate today. It remains one of Smithville’s longest running active family-owned businesses and has served countless customers in its 43-year history.
Although both had come from families with a business background, Larry and Deborah had no experience in the grocery business but got the idea after a venture Larry had participated in with Deborah’s uncle Donald Pack.
“I was building houses in 1980 but when that business began to slow down, I started cutting firewood to pay the bills,” Larry explained. “At Christmas we were at Deborah’s grandparents’ house and her uncle, Donald, who had bought two loads of salvage groceries to sell in Cookeville, asked if I wanted to help him at $200 a week. That was better pay than cutting firewood, so I went with him over there in January, but that location didn’t work out, so we came back and set up in a building owned by my father-in-law Clifford and we stayed there another month. We then relocated to where we are now at 309 West Broad Street in March of 1980. Donald stayed with us until August of that year and then we (Deborah and Larry) bought it from him, and it took off from there,” said Larry.
The Hancock’s are proud parents of two sons and their spouses, Travis and Mary Hancock and Chris and Lydia Hancock. There are also six grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Today, the Hancock’s love for each other and their family is as strong as ever and their years together serving the community in the business has been a labor of love.
“We have many special memories,” said Larry and Deborah.
“Down through the years some of the kids who once worked for us in part time jobs, now have kids of their own who are working or have worked for us. A lot of them worked until they got through college. Many of them went on to become very successful. You get really close to them,” Larry continued.
Although retirement may be just beyond the horizon for them, Larry and Deborah are not ready to ride off into the sunset together just yet.
“We enjoy the business and serving our customers. It’s a lot of fun,” added Larry.