By the time he was 10 years old, he was driving a tractor and working the fields, and by 11 years old, he was driving the farm truck during harvest. He went to Ong School before transferring to Davenport, where he graduated.
Larry loved playing baseball and basketball, having lettered all four years in high school. The high point of his basketball playing was a 33-point game, before the 3-point line came into being! He continued to play basketball until he was 55 years old. Vocal music was another scholastic accomplishment of his, having won first and second place in local talent contests and singing solos at district music contests.
Larry met the love of his life, Ann Wieker, on a blind date in the summer of 1966, and they were married on January 6, 1968. They built a life together for 47 years before Ann passed away in 2015. They raised their two children in Waverly before moving to Lincoln in 1992. Larry loved to coach both of his children’s teams of baseball, softball, basketball, and football.
Larry attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and received a degree in Industrial Engineering in August 1968. He worked 44 years in the rubber industry, progressing through several different capacities during these years of employment with Goodyear and then Veyance Technologies. Larry was active in the community, having served as a Board Member of the Lincoln Regional Better Business Bureau Board of Directors from 2000-2012, on the Goodyear Fitness Center Board of Directors as Secretary for 15 years, and a Boy Scout liaison for 42 years.
Golf and cars were two of Larry’s never-ending passions, along with fishing and hunting. Larry could build and fix anything and everything: garages and other structures, motors, brick walls and fireplaces, and furniture. He always said he could do lots of things but was never really an expert at anything. In reality, his undertakings ended up pretty amazing!
Larry was a wonderful husband and father and made friends wherever he went (if he didn’t already know them from somewhere!). His greatest joys were his family and friends, and he loved watching his grandchildren’s concerts, plays, and sporting events. He was devoted to his dogs, Bella and Peaches (and the many others he had throughout the years). This loss has left a huge hole in the heart of the family.
Survived by son, Brent (Celeste) Williams of Lincoln; daughter, Erin (Thomas) Shafer of Lincoln; granddaughters, Emma Williams and Evyn Shafer of Lincoln; grandsons, Gannon Shafer and Stratton Williams of Lincoln; sister, Sharon Andersen of Albuquerque, NM; sister-in-law, Sandy (Larry) Hammers of Gretna; brothers-in-law, Kurt (Sharon) Wieker of Lincoln, Mark (Connie) Wieker, Gary (Diane) Wieker both of Omaha, Roger (Judy) Essink of Gretna; sister-in-law, Cleo Williams of Durango, CO; numerous nieces and nephews.
Preceded in death by wife, Ann Williams; brother, Edward Williams; parents, Cecil and Ruby Williams; mother-in-law, Laura Essink; brother-in-law, Clifford Welding; sister-in-law, Kay Boese; sister-in-law, Jean Wieker.
A Celebration of Larry’s life will be held on Saturday, June 25th at 11:00 a.m. at Roper & Sons South Lincoln Chapel, 3950 Hohensee Drive.
Memorials in lieu of flowers may be given to the Capital Humane Society.
No visitation/cremation.