Laurence Edward Larry Locke

Laurence E. Locke 6/3/1941 – 7/30/2019 Today we celebrate the life of a Father of 10, a Husband of 50+ yrs, a Brother to 1, a Grandfather to 18, a Great Grandfather to 2, an Uncle to 70+, a Veteran to his country, a Coach to many, & a Friend to all. Laurence “Larry” Edward Locke was born June 3, 1941 to Oren & Marjorie Locke in Bloomington, IL. He was the quarterback & captain of the football team until he graduated Normal High School in 1959. After high school he joined the USAF and proudly served his country during the Vietnam war while stationed in Thailand. Following his overseas deployment, he was stationed at McConnell AFB in Wichita, KS. Larry met the love of his life Evelyn Ramsey and they married September 30th, 1965. At the time of his death they had been married for 53 years. Between 1967 and 1987 Larry & Evelyn brought 10 self-proclaimed wonderful children into the world, 6 boys & 4 girls. The children were raised & educated through Catholic schooling. Larry attended night school at WSU and graduated in 1978 with a degree in Marketing. He retired as a Senior Logistics Engineer Manager at Beech Aircraft. Larry was not only an avid fisherman, but also a sports enthusiast and avid KU Jayhawk fan. During his adult years he played competitive softball. He was also a well-respected and well-liked coach. He coached little league baseball, but he spent most of his time, 17 years, coaching Parochial League Basketball & Football. Larry used sports as a way to teach young individuals about important life values. Larry passed away peacefully in the mountains of Wyoming July 30, 2019 during an annual fishing trip with his 6 sons. Larry loved fishing in the mountains & his kids loved to do it with him. Even after they grew up & left home, they continued the yearly tradition. Last July he was diagnosed with 17p Deleted Multiple Myeloma cancer & that was the 1st time that the fishing trip was cancelled. The road of chemo, surgery, his health, and his quality of life had been a strenuous test for the last year. His family knew his passion for fishing & the time spent with his family was a driver for him. They used that as a motivation for him to get through his burden with the promise that if he was able, that they would make the trip one last time this July. Everyone knew that if it did somehow miraculously happen, then it would definitely be the last. For the last year & during his treatments he would often joke about covering himself in honey & staying the night in bear country so he could go out doing what he loved. With a weakened immune system, Larry beat Pneumonia twice, suffered 6 broken ribs, sepsis, a collapsed lung, and a 7+ day-long coma to make sure he made this trip. When it came time, his 6 sons honored their promise. They fished, laughed, loved, & enjoyed the time spent together. He even caught 2 fish from his chair to prove he still had it! After a few days & a great night of fishing, Larry rested his tired eyes for the last time. He had just enough gas in the tank to get to where he wanted to be when he left this life. We are very proud of Larry’s accomplishments, values, & the legacy he created & has now bequeathed. We do not think this story could have had a better ending. In true Larry Locke fashion, he went out on his own terms and when he was ready. Larry was a great man of high morals, exceptional integrity, a strong work ethic, a man of laughter, patience and a big heart. He instilled these values in every young individual he coached, the workforce he led, and the family he raised. He is loved dearly and will truly be missed! Larry is preceded in death by his parents, Oren & Marjorie Locke. He is survived by his wife, Evelyn; sons, Marc (Melissa) of Sahuarita, AZ; Steve (Danielle) of Wichita, KS; Brian (Jennifer) of Andover, KS; Greg; Eric (Marci); & Nick (Marcee) all of Wichita, KS; Daughters, Marcy of Redondo Beach, CA; Debbie of Edmond, OK; Sharon of Aurora CO; and Christi of Wichita, KS; Sister, Harriett Shapland of Champaign, IL; his Grandchildren, Chasity Fredericks, Regan Locke; Jourdan, Taylor, Barrett, Ashlyn, Braden Locke; Chase Savaiano; Nigel Hall; Tyler, Bryson, Hayden, Lauren Locke; Brecken, Madison Locke; Kaleb Depew; Camilla, Caden Locke; and Great Grandchildren, Benton, Carter Lowden. Please join us for a Rosary in his honor on Monday, August 5th at 6:30pm and funeral on Tuesday, August 6th at 10:00am, both at Church of the Magdalen. The funeral will be followed by a gravesite procession to Ascension Cemetery. Due to scheduling restrictions, there will not be a luncheon afterwards. In lieu of flowers or donations the family asks that any symbol of generosity is through a donation to The Red River Valley Fighter Pilots Association: https://www.river-rats.org/ Downing & Lahey East Mortuary.