My husband and our father, Larry Lynn Smith, was born September 29, 1943, in Wichita, Kansas. Within several months he was welcomed into the home of Lloyd and Amanda (Johnson) Smith. He peacefully departed this life surrounded by his family on July 20, 2024, at St. Francis Hospital in Wichita, Kansas, after a short health battle at the age of eighty years.
Larry's early childhood days were spent at Halstead, Kansas. In 1954, the family moved to a farm near Burns, Kansas. His lower grade school years were at Enterprise School in Burrton, Kansas. The later school years were at a local school in DeGraff, Kansas.
In his teen years, Larry answered God's call and was baptized in the Church of God in Christ Mennonite on January 18, 1959, by Minister Alvin Koehn. Life was real and had it's challenges, but Dad always enjoyed the fellowship of the church and brotherhood. By God's grace, he left us with an assurance of his salvation and asked us to meet him in Heaven. We thank God for granting our prayers for his peacefulcrossing of the Jordan River.
Larry found his life's companion in me, Linda Irene Wedel, daughter of Alvin and Amanda Wedel. We were married October 28, 1962, and shared life's joys and challenges for sixty-one years. Starting life together, we lived in a small house on the yard of his parents. After a move to Moundridge, Kansas, our first child, Nolan Larry, joined us. In a few years, we moved back to the Burns area. A daughter, Janet Christine, and another son, Mark Lloyd, were born to us and completed our family.
Dad had several occupations in his life. Farming was always interesting to him, and he enjoyed watching the crops grow. He liked welding and shop work. His modifications to many items made them more convenient and useful; these are memories we will continue to find as we move on with life. Driving truck for several different businesses opened a new avenue of cultivating friendships. Working the night shift as a maintenance man at Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital was a job he found great satisfaction in for sixteen years. He loved people and never tired of story telling! We remember Dad as a man who liked to tinker in his workshop, fixing things for the joy of seeing them work again. Going to garage sales was something he enjoyed, and we have and use items we have received from him. Animals were always present in Dad's life, and it didn't matter what kind - horses, dogs, cats, birds and other animals were looked after with tender loving care. Dad loved the grandchildren and delighted in making them happy. They all remember the little treasures Grandpa gave them.
Larry us survived by his wife, Linda, of Burns, Kansas; Nolan Smith and wife, Jana of Burns, Kansas; Janet and husband Marlin Nickel of Sunray, Texas; and Mark (Bob) Smith and wife, Holly of Texline, Texas. Thirteen treasured grandchildren and three treasured great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, on brother, Kenneth, and two infant granddaughters.