Larry Wayne Boleach, 80, of Kirksville passed away at home under hospice care on Monday, September 17, 2018. Larry was born on February 26, 1938 in Hannibal, Missouri at the Levering Hospital to Russell Boleach and Etta Juanita (Maupin) Boleach. He spent his school years in Clarence and graduated from Clarence High School in 1956.
Larry attended college at the University of Missouri for one year. He transferred to Northeast Missouri State College, but he left school when his father passed away suddenly. On June 4, 1960 he married his high school sweetheart Linda Kay Wood. After they were married, Linda encouraged him to finish his degree and in 1962, he graduated from Northeast Missouri State College with a teaching degree. He began teaching in Shelbyville schools, where he taught K-12 PE and American History and coached 7-12 boys’ and girls’ basketball, baseball, was junior class sponsor and directed the junior class play. In 1965 he earned his Master’s Degree and began his teaching career at Northeast where he remained until his retirement in 2000, except for the 1974-75 school year when he took a sabbatical to work on his doctorate at the University of Northern Colorado at Greeley.
Larry was active in the community; serving as a Cub Scout leader, little league coach and commissioner in the Kirksville Baseball Association, and as a deacon in the First Christian Church. He enjoyed serving as a table parent in the church’s LOGOS program and dedicating his wood working skills to the church’s Miracle Day projects. He was a member of Phi Delta Kappa educational fraternity.
Larry enjoyed woodworking, traveling and attending sporting events of his children, friends’ children and relatives and was a lifelong Cardinal fan.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years Linda, his son Jay (Maria) , daughters Carey and Libby, his twin grandchildren Caroline and Evan Hosler, his brothers in law and sisters in law, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Laura Jayne Smith.
A celebration of life will be held at First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ, Kirksville, MO on Sunday, September 23 with visitation from 2:00-3:30 pm and the service to follow with Rev. Mark Braden officiating. Relatives, friends and former students are invited to share a memory at the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the First Christian Church, Maplewood Cemetery or Union Cemetery in Clarence, MO. Larry’s wish was to be cremated. His ashes will be interred later in a private ceremony.
Arrangements are under the direction of Travis-Noe Funeral Home of Kirksville.