Larry C. Walthall, age 93, of Warsaw, passed away Friday, May 16, 2025 at the Lincoln Community Care Center in Lincoln, Missouri. He was born on August 16, 1931 in Edwards, Missouri the son of Leland Walthall and Faye (Gemes) Walthall. Larry grew up in Edwards and graduated from Warsaw High School in 1949. In his younger years he enjoyed playing sports, especially baseball. He worked for his grandfather L.W. Gemes and Harrison Arnett working hay and hauling cattle.
Larry served in the United States Army during the Korean War from June 4, 1952 until his honorable discharge on May 26, 1954.
Prior to his enlistment, he married the love of his life, June Drennon, on September 15, 1951 at the Methodist parsonage in Warsaw by Rev. Wesley Hampton. Larry and June met in elementary school in Edwards and celebrated over 68 years of marriage. They made their home in Warsaw all their life and traveled to all fifty states, many of which were with their motor home club.
After his honorable discharge, Larry returned to Warsaw where he began working for Dave Hawley at the Ford dealership and later for Darace Eaton at the Warsaw John Deere Implement. In 1964, he continued with Darace at the Ford dealership and in the early 1970’s partnered with him and Avis Burton. In 1996, they sold the Burton-Walthall dealership and retired.
Larry was a member of the Edwards Methodist Church and later the First United Methodist Church in Warsaw, the Wesley Sunday School Class, the Methodist Men’s Group and served on numerous church committees, especially the Pastor Parrish Relations Committee. He also was a member of the Warsaw Lions Club and the Warsaw Jubilee Days Committee, where he was instrumental in recruiting musical talent that went on to stardom soon after. He was a member of the Shawnee Masonic Lodge, the Benton County Museum, the Benton County Historical Society, the Shawnee Bend Men’s Golf League, the Boring Drug Store Coffee Club and the Benton County Cancer Fund, where he helped organize numerous charity golf tournaments. Larry was also an avid St. Louis Cardinals baseball fan and loved to travel to NASCAR races at any opportunity.
He is preceded in death by his wife, June Walthall, a sister JoDee Estes and her husband Paul and his beloved bird dogs, Tex and Sammy.
While Larry and June had no children of their own, he is survived by numerous nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, and a community of friends, each of which consider it an honor and privilege to have called him friend.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at the First United Methodist Church in Warsaw. Interment will follow the funeral at the Riverside Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Benton County Cancer Fund c/o the Reser Funeral Home 101 W. Main Street Warsaw, Missouri 65355.
