With family by his side, Lawrence Henry James Lehmkuhl, 79, of Hiawatha, went to be with his Lord and Savior Friday, July 16, 2021.
A celebration of Eternal Life is planned for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, July 21, 2021, at Eternal Hope Worship Center in Hiawatha. Interment will follow at Mt. Hope Cemetery, Hiawatha.
Friends may call at Chapel Oaks Funeral Home, Hiawatha, afternoon Monday. The family will meet with friends from 6 until 8 Tuesday evening.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the Larry Lehmkuhl Memorial Fund, sent in care of the funeral home, 124 S 7th St., Hiawatha 66434.
Larry, as he was known to family and friends, was born September 12, 1941, near Fairview, one of ten children of Vincent and Margaret Honeyman Lehmkuhl and was a lifelong Brown County resident. He grew up in the Fairview-Hamlin area, where he attended school, graduating from Hamlin High School with the class of 1960. Larry always enjoyed being outdoors and agricultural-related; thereby, he chose a career that reflected that. His work started with Quaker Oaks, Brockhoff Feed Yards, Fairview Elevator, Barley Grain of Morrill and Salverson Trucking. Larry liked trucking and bought a semi and started hauling grain before buying an anhydrous tanker which he leased to Terra Nitrogen Co., based out of Sioux City, IA, which in later years, had a dedicated run to Woodward, OK, before retiring at age 74.
Larry loved serving his Lord and Savior. He was a giving person, which he got a great blessing from and he loved Christmas! Larry enjoyed getting the sports page, reading it when he came home from trucking immediately. When he was home, he enjoyed going to McDonald’s for morning coffee with the group. Larry was instrumental in forming the Hiawatha Kids Wrestling Federation Club and remained active in its operation for many years. He loved to deer and coon hunt, fishing and playing softball and basketball. He was an avid K-State Fan, LA Dodgers Fan and a Hiawatha Redskin supporter while enjoying watching his kids and grandkids in all their sports and activities. There were times he drove home lots of miles to enjoy those special times and then returned out on the road to continue trucking. Larry loved the time spent with his family. The joy of grandchildren and great-grandchildren filled his heart and he loved to spoil them all!
Larry was a longtime member of the Church of the Nazarene in Falls City, NE. He served on the Church Board and loved helping with the Church teen activities. His family was instrumental in forming Eternal Hope Worship Center on the east edge of Hiawatha, where he was a member and continued to serve his Lord every Sunday until entering the nursing home.
He was married to Karen Pape on December 21, 1960, at Immanuel United Methodist Church of Falls City. They made Hiawatha their home, nearly all of their married life with their family. She survives at home. Also, surviving are their sons: Kevin (Ann), Richard (Susan), Chris (Tami), all of Hiawatha; A special niece, Amy Kopp, the daughter he never had; eight grandchildren: Dustin of Tulsa, OK, Jeremy of St. Joseph, Tyler of Great Bend, Amanda Walker (Ben), Kayla Nigus (Jake), Madison (Richard) Hargett, Levi Lehmkuhl (Britney), all of Hiawatha, Dalton Lehmkuhl, also of Great Bend; and 14 great-grandchildren. Surviving also are his siblings: LeRoy Lehmkuhl (Delores) of Holton, Lois Buescher of Neosho, Missouri, Donna Young of Byhalia, Mississippi, Marge Bradbury (Rod) of Sabetha, Joe Lehmkuhl (Margie) of Lake Tapningo, MO, Kathy Chandler (Pete), Hiawatha, Terry Lehmkuhl (Kristi of Chapman, KS.
Larry was preceded in death by his parents, sister Darlene Stahl, and brother Bobby Lehmkuhl.
A special message or remembrance may be sent to the family at www.chapeloaksfuneralhome.com, which is also livestreaming site.
