Larry Gale Lemery's Obituary
Larry Gale Lemery, age 83, surrounded by his family, passed from this life on Saturday, January 4th, 2014, in Tulsa, OK. Larry was born on April 24th, 1930 to Vernon Lemery and Pansy Knight Lemery in Carthage, MO. Larry’s childhood years were split living between Carthage and Southern California. After graduating from Carthage High School, Larry served as a member of the United States Navy until 1950. While on leave, with his younger sister Patty in tow, Larry offered a young senior high school girl a ride home after the evening church service. Approximately 3 short months later on March 24th, 1950, he married his life-long sweetheart and best friend, Janice Chavose Lemery. Married for nearly 64 years, the couple raised their five children – Gale, David, Cindy, Michael and Valarie – over the years throughout California eventually settling in Van Nuys. In 1976, with only the youngest still at home, Larry and Janice purchased an old farm house on just 10 acres of land and the entire family moved to Golden City, MO, to pursue their dream – farming. After a year of what can only be called “an adventure”, serendipitously, Larry was offered a position in Tulsa, OK, which he accepted. The entire family eventually re-settled in Tulsa, Oklahoma where the majority resides today. Larry was a Journeyman Machinist by trade and known by those who worked for, and with, him as a master of his craft. Combined with a willingness to help others, he was an obvious choice for leadership. Whether as a local union President of the Machinists Union (Singer Sewing Machine (CA)) or Supervisor at Rockwell International, (Tulsa, OK), Larry was respected for his knowledge and fairness, and was instrumental in advancing the lives of many working men and women whom he worked alongside at Singer, Sperry Vickers, and Rockwell International. If Larry had one passion in life, it was sports, and he instilled that love into all of his children and grandchildren. In his younger years he coached his two sons in baseball and in his later years treasured his time with his grandkids, watching and attending sporting events throughout their lives. There was barely a week that his kids, grandkids and great-grandkids, did not gather around the TV to watch a game and share a meal together. Never a man who felt the need to impress others or be the center of attention, alongside his wife, Larry faithfully taught Sunday School to children for many decades. In his younger days, you could find him most any Saturday pouring molds and making scripture plaques for children who memorized their Bible verses. But when Larry was 52, God did a great work in Larry’s heart and He accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior – thus changing both his life here and his eternal home forever. Though not an ambitious talker or outgoing man, Larry never missed an opportunity to tell others of the saving grace that changed his life. Larry was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle and man whose gentle demeanor was an everlasting reminder of the faith that changed his life. He will be sorely missed and forever remembered.. Larry was preceded in death by his mother, Pansy, father, Vernon, sister, Patty Sue, daughter, Cindy Irene and grandson, Jonathan David Michael. Larry is survived by his wife of 63 years, Janice, his four children: daughter, Gale and her husband Kirk; son, David and his wife Janna; son, Michael and his wife, Michelle; and daughter, Valarie. He is survived by 16 grandchildren; Erin, Andrew, Lauren, Larry, Michael, Brenda, Kevin, Amy, Rebecca, Ryan, Justin, Hannah, Bethany, Joshua, Sean, and Kaitlin; Larry’s 27 great-grandchildren, and his many nieces and nephews. A chapel service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 9th, 2014, at the Floral Haven Funeral Home Chapel. Flowers may be sent to Floral Haven Funeral Home at 6500 South 129th E Avenue, Broken Arrow, OK 74012. Family will greet and receive family at 5:00 p.m. through 6 p.m. on Wednesday, January 8th, 2014, at the Floral Haven Funeral Home.
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