Larry Raber, 85, peacefully passed away in his home filled with his loving family on Wednesday, June 26, 2024.
Larry was born on July 25, 1938, in Kokomo, to Louis Benjamin and Bessie Mae Franklin Raber. He graduated from Kokomo High School with the class of 1956 and went on to get his Associate of Science in Organizational Leadership and Supervision from Indiana University Kokomo.
He served in the U.S. Navy and was honorably discharged in 1962. While stationed in San Diego, Calif., Larry and his buddies got into mischief that led to them washing a lot of cars in their driveway. A young woman and her family had just moved to a home next door from Kansas in 1957. He saw that their car was dirty, offered to wash it, and the rest was history. Larry took Norma Jean Lambert as his wife in San Diego on Dec. 6, 1959.
The couple would move back to his hometown and he would work for General Motors for 38 years, until his retirement.
Larry was very kind and just a good person. But he had his traits that made him frugal and an extreme type A organizer and perfectionist. He adored being with his family and cherished memories made with them. Larry loved the outdoors and would fish and go canoeing with his friends and family in Canada, loved trips to Northern Manitoba, enjoyed bird watching and traveling with his wife.
He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church in Kokomo and associate members of First United Methodist Church in Warsaw. He was a member of the Warsaw Kiwanis Club, the Kokomo Taylor Lions Club and the Kokomo Elks. Larry also served as a Boy Scout leader in Kokomo.
Larry is survived by his wife, Norma, of Warsaw; and their daughters: Donna (Bob) Ritchie, of Warsaw; Deanna (Scott) Smith, of Akron; and Debra (Chris) Cook, of California; six grandchildren: Ryan (Linda) Moore, Jake (Kristi) Ritchie, Matt Smith, Nathan Cook, Liliana Cook and Casey Cook; four great-grandchildren: Elliana Moore, Deacon Moore, Brynlee Ritchie and Delaney Ritchie; his sister, Betty (Bud) Ballew, of Kokomo; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings: Ross, Jerry and Sue Raber.
Visitation will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 2 at McHatton-Sadler Funeral Chapels, 2290 Provident Court, Warsaw. Funeral services will begin at 12:30 p.m. with Pastor Brian Smith officiating. Burial will be in the Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw, with military honors.
To sign the guestbook or send a condolence to the family, please visit www.mchattonsadlerfuneralchapels.com.