Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
LAROCHE RICHARD F JR
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
NATIONAL HEALTHCARE CORP [NHC] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director _____ 10% Owner
_____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
2103 SHANNON DRIVE		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
04/30/2009
(Street)

MURFREESBORO, TN 37129		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
05/04/2009		 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock, held in trust, subject to life estate               29,523 I Remainder in GRAT
Common Stock - IRA               1,038 D  
Common Stock - Held in my name or my wife's name 04/30/2009   M   10,000 (1) A $ 27.01 17,000 D  
Common Stock - Partnership               255,152 D  
Common Stock - Family Partnership               23,638 I Family Partnership
Common Stock - Family Foundation               8,635 I Trustee of Family Foundation
Shares of Series A Conv. Preferred Stock by Trustee of GRAT               31,523 I Remain. in GRAT
Shares of Series A Conv. Preferred Stock - IRA               1,921 D  
Shares of Series A Conv. Preferred Stock - LaRoche Family LP               12,113 I Family Partnership
Shares of Series A Conv. Preferred Stock-LaRoche Enterprises               330,202 D  
Shares of Series A Conv. Preferred Stock-Family Foundation               10,480 I Trustee of Family Foundation

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Option to Purchase Common Stock $ 27.01 04/30/2009   A   10,000 (1)   04/30/2009 04/30/2009 Common Stock 10,000 $ 0 10,000 D  
Option to Purchase Common Stock $ 27.01 04/30/2009   M     10,000 (1) 04/20/2004 04/30/2009 Common Stock 10,000 $ 27.01 0 D  
Option to Purchase Common Stock $ 32.01             05/03/2005 05/02/2010 Common Stock 15,000   15,000 D  
Option to Purchase Common Stock $ 44.25             05/03/2006 05/02/2011 Common Stock 15,000   15,000 D  
Option to Purchase Common Stock $ 52.5             04/24/2007 04/23/2012 Common Stock 13,000   13,000 D  
Option to Purchase Common Stock $ 51.5             05/01/2008 05/01/2013 Common Stock 15,000   15,000 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
LAROCHE RICHARD F JR
2103 SHANNON DRIVE
MURFREESBORO, TN 37129		   X      

Signatures

 Richard F. LaRoche, Jr. by Ann S. Benson, POA   05/06/2009
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) This stock option was originally granted pursuant to the Company's 2002 Stock Option Plan on April 20, 2004 and expired on April 19, 2009. The Reporting Person inadvertently failed to exercise the option prior to such expiration. The Company elected to amend the option to extend the expiration date to April 30, 2009. This amendment may be deemed the grant of a new option. The grant and exercise of these stock options are exempt from Section 16(b) pursuant to Rule 16b-3(d).

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