Cotati has lost a local icon who graced the same roadside for half a century.
The Press Democrat reports Michael Larrain, known to generations as “the flower guy,” passed away last week at 78. For 50 years, Larrain sold bouquets on East Cotati Avenue, but his life spanned far beyond the roadside; he was a former Hollywood actor, a prolific poet, and a novelist.
Neighbors remember him not just for his flowers, but for his easy charm and quiet generosity. His daughter, Wilder, says he never missed a night singing her to sleep—a tradition that only ended with his passing. A memorial of poppies now marks the spot where a sign once read, “Flowers Not to Reason Why.”
