Larry J Stewart, 65 years, 10 months, 28 days old, passed suddenly from a heart attack the morning of October 16, 2023 en route to Cox South ER Hospital in Springfield, MO.
Larry was born November 19, 1957 in Gainesville, MO to Billie D and Geneva Lee (Herd) Stewart. His early youth was spent in the rolling hills of Thornfield, before his parents relocated their family to the farm they built near the banks of Spring Creek – Rome.
Larry was a 1975 Ava High School graduate. While in school he enjoyed woodshop and football. He was an active officer in FFA, skills he would carry forward his entire adult life. Inscriptions from his friends in his high school year book repeatedly refer to him as “Turtle” a nickname he would later adopt as his long haul CB handle.
After high school, while shopping for pompoms to decorate the dash of his Datsun pickup, he met the young woman he would marry – writing her phone number onto a box of Crest toothpaste. The many dates that followed were frequently spent alongside their close friends, Gary Swearengin and Jennifer Goss. Larry expressed interest in marriage, but before he was granted permission to propose, Patsy’s mother, Alice, required one of two things: that he was either brown-eyed or Republican. Since eye color at the time was impossible, she settled for political party, and Larry was re-registered. (Contacts would have probably been the better way to go.)
On May 14, 1977, Larry J Stewart and Patsy Elaine Welch were united in marriage at the Girdner Church. In 1982, together they were blessed with one son, Andrew Christopher. On the day of Andrew’s birth, Larry was delivering livestock feed, and when confirming how much time he had before he needed to return home to pick up Patsy, his mother-in-law responded: “If you want to be there, son, you better gas it.” Larry was committed to the job.
As a family, the Stewarts enjoyed their many pets: their farm dogs, Hutch, Cassie, Herman, Sherman, Griffon & Blue; their cats, Baby Girl, Pickle, Agnes, and Eddie; their donkey, Clyde; their many cattle and chickens. Larry enjoyed gathering the eggs, though not eating them, and would often leave a wooden one in the mix as a joke.
Larry was a dedicated employee of Hutchens Steel Industries in Mansfield, MO for 29 years, most recently serving as Fleet Maintenance Supervisor.
He was a member of the Mansfield Masonic Lodge.
Larry loved attending the sporting events of all his nieces and nephews, and rarely missed a game. He enjoyed grabbing season with his friends, frying the catch directly on the creek bank. Larry loved music, specifically country and classic rock – with the exception of the Eagles, whose songs were far too long. Larry loved gardening, hay season and pie. He adored his entire family and worked tirelessly to provide for everyone. He never forgot a birthday.
Larry was preceded in death by his father, Billie; two brothers, Danny and John; his father-in-law, Paul Welch; his nephews, Marty Welch and Michael Lee Tackett.
Larry is survived by his wife, Patsy; his son, Andrew; his mother, Geneva Stewart; his brother, Armon Stewart; his twin sisters, Dianna Sherman and Deanna Tackett; his mother-in-law, Alice Welch; his brothers-in-law, Harold, Joe, and Randall Welch; their respective spouses; many nieces; nephews; relatives and friends.
Visitation for Larry will be on Saturday, October 21, 2023 from 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM.
Funeral services will be Saturday, October 21, 2023 at 10:00 A.M. in the Clinkingbeard Chapel, Ava, MO with a private family burial following in the Ava Cemetery. Officiating will be Pastor Gary Swearengin.
Monetary memorials may be made to the family as a love offering.
