Larry J. Evans, rural Gove
September 26, 1939 - October 25, 2023
Larry J. Evans, of rural Gove, was born Sept. 26, 1937, in Quinter, KS, to Jim and Edith (Roberts) Evans. He passed away on October 25, 2023, at the Catholic Care Center in Wichita at the age of 84.
Larry lived his entire life in the Missouri Flats Community of Gove County.
He walked or rode a horse to the Wild Rose grade school, about a mile from his home. He attended Dighton High School, where on the first day of school he met a pretty girl named Bonnie Pinkston. In 1957, they graduated, and then on New Year's Eve, Larry and Bonnie were married in Dighton. They were married for nearly 66 years.
Larry was a life-long farmer, starting by helping his dad when he was just a boy and continuing to farm with his sons. He loved all aspects of agriculture and continued to grow a successful farming and cattle enterprise with Bryan and Brent.
A man of service, Larry dedicated 43 years to the Western Coop REC board and 25 years to the First National Bank. His influence extended to Sunflower Electric, the Kansas Livestock Association, and Farmers Oil in Dighton. Larry's commitment wasn't limited to business; he was a proud member of the Odd Fellow Lodge in Gove.
Larry's mind was a wealth of agricultural wisdom, and he delighted in sharing it with neighbors, business associates, and even strangers. His childhood stories echoed through the years, retold with joy to his granddaughters. Beyond the fields, Larry found joy in socializing with colleagues at business conferences across the country, annual fishing trips to South Dakota or Colorado, hosting the yearly pheasant hunting group, and flying the skies as a pilot in his Cessna Skylane airplane.
Yet, amidst his love for the land, Larry's heart belonged to his family. His pride in their skills and accomplishments knew no bounds. A moment of profound gratitude came last November when every single family member gathered for Thanksgiving, capturing a cherished moment in a family picture.
Larry is survived by his wife Bonnie (Pinkston), children Vickie (Ron) Dinkel, Emporia, KS, Bryan (Terri) Evans, Gove, KS, Brent (Leann) Evans, Gove, KS, Jolene (Jerry) Rose, Wichita, KS; granddaughters, Karen (Tyson) Blackburn, Denise (Jeremy) Voth, Lacey (Wes) Heddlesten, Ashley (Darwyn) Grant, Jayme (Thomas) Zimmerman, Bailey (Dustin) Ketterl, Brooke (Casey) Kuntz, Paige Eli, Kelsey Rose, Katelyn (Tanner) Wolf, and Jenna Rose; great-grandchildren, Hayden and Tanner Blackburn, Mackenzie and Mason Voth, Rody and Emery Heddlesten, Keiston Evans Grant, Hendrix and Drayson Grant, Lyla, Remy, Eli, and Owen Zimmerman, Lillianna and Ellison Ketterl, Hunter and Hadley Kuntz, Rhett and Sabri Eli and Baby Girl Wolf arriving in February; sister Lois Troutman, Keller TX, and Kay Ellen (Glen) McKain, Delphos, KS
Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Jim and Edith (Roberts) Evans, brother Virgil Evans, and sister Mary Lupton.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, October 29, 2023, from 2:00–4:00 p.m. at Schmitt Funeral Home in Quinter, Kansas. The funeral service will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, October 30, 2023, at the Church of the Brethren, Quinter, KS. A graveside service will follow in the Gove Cemetery at 1:30 a.m. on Monday, October 30, 2023.
The family suggests memorial contributions to the American Legion Post 301 (Grainfield) and Healy EMS. Donations may be sent to Schmitt Funeral Home, 901 South Main, Quinter, KS 67752.
Condolences and memories can be shared at www.schmittfuneral.com.
Larry's legacy is not just in the crops and cattle he nurtured but in the hearts of those who had the privilege of knowing him. He found great joy in taking others for a ride in his pickup truck, narrating the details of his crops across southern Gove County—a simple pleasure that reflected the essence of the man he was. Larry will be deeply missed but forever remembered with love and gratitude.