Larry Thurston
July 1, 1940 – Aug. 30, 2020
MERRIAM — Larry Thurston, Ottawa, died Sunday, Aug. 30, 2020, at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission, Merriam. He was 80.
He was born July 1, 1940, near Lyndon, the son of Floyd and Jessie Davis Thurston. He lived in Osage County for the first 50 years of his life and has been in Franklin County for the last 17 years.
Larry served in the U.S. Navy, in the CB’s, from 1962 to 1964. He was a farmer and stockman, bulldozer operator and worked in county and city government as a public works director and city manager, in Eureka and Lyndon. He was involved in the local and state school board and soil conservation. He was a member of the Ottawa First United Methodist Church.
Larry married Carol Christiason Jan. 28, 1960, in Topeka. Carol preceded him in death on May 3, 1991. He married Linda Wasmund in 1992.
He was preceded in death by two sons, Trenton Thurston, in infancy and Todd Thurston; his parents, Floyd and Jessie; a granddaughter, Hally Yust; and a daughter-in-law, Rachel Thurston.
Larry is survived by his wife, Linda, of the home; two sons, Tom Thurston, Lyndon, and Thad (Lori) Thurston, Osage City; a daughter-in-law, Diane Thurston, Overland Park; four stepchildren, Jenny (Shon) Yust, Spring Hill, Heidi (Ryan) Lynch, Ottawa, Stephanie (Richard) Barrett, Carmel, Ind., and Pete (Anna) Heiniger, Prescott, Wisc.; a sister, Neva Thurston, Lyndon; 18 grandchildren, Alex (Kalena), Beau (Mary-Lynn) and Noelle Lynch, Parker, Macy and Zoey Yust, Ethan, Alyssa and Evan Barrett, Trent and Travis Thurston, Chae and Marcus Aills Catherine and Penelope Heiniger and Shane Jackson; and two great-grandchildren, Charlie and Bennett Lynch.
A private family memorial service will be held and streamed 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 3 on the Ottawa First United Methodist Church Facebook page. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at Feltner Funeral Chapel, Lyndon.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Larry, Carol, Jessie Thurston Scholarship Fund, for Marias des Cygnes Valley High School or Team Hally at www.teamhally.org and sent in care of Feltner Funeral Home, 818 Topeka Ave., Lyndon, KS 66451.
Condolences may be expressed at feltnerfuneralhome.com.
