Larry John Petty
January 5, 1943 — September 20, 2020
Larry John Petty, 77 of Central City, Iowa, passed away on Sunday, September 20, 2020, at his home on Matsell Park Road, rural Central City surrounded by his family. Family conducted graveside service will be held 11 a.m. on Monday, October 19, 2020, at Hazel Knoll Cemetery, rural Central City with military honors provided by the American Legion Post #412 of Central City. A luncheon will follow at the family home.
Larry was born January 5, 1943, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the son of John and Bertha (Dvorak) Petty. He lived in the Rompot neighborhood along Otis Road, where his grandparents had a Dairy, Petty Dairy. Growing up near his grandparents was a great asset and working with his grandfather and eating the wonderful Bohemian dishes and pastries made by his grandmother. He also accompanied his grandfather and his grandfather’s friends, coon hunting in the woods around the Sutliff area. Larry was a life-long resident of Linn County. As a teenager, he farmed, raising crops on land along the Cedar River in Linn County. In December of 1960, he enlisted in the United States Army. He served three years and earned a letter of Commendation on April 11, 1963, for his outstanding work on any job assigned to him. He increased production and improved efficiency. After being discharged from the Army, Larry returned home to Cedar Rapids. He met his wife Patricia, who had recently moved to the neighborhood. They dated and married on September 26, 1964. They stayed in the neighborhood living in a small house on his family’s farm. This was ideal as Pat’s mother, who lived by herself was nearby. Larry was on of Dorothy’s favorite people. Larry was always there lending her a helping hand, doing repair work on her property and cars. Running errands and providing moral support. Dorothy always loved him and appreciated all he did for her. Some of Larry and Pat’s best memories were taking her on their fishing trips to Tennessee. In the summer of 1967, their oldest daughter, Tami, was born. By this time Larry was traveling to Matsell Bridge to put his jon boat in the Wapsipinicon River on a Saturday night, taking along family, and friends who he invited for good fishing. From the sandbars, good eating around a campfire and of course some ‘Ole Mil for drinking! Oh, and coffee too! Most times it was his best friend, Lyle Harthun, but the boat was large enough for nine men. Sometimes one of the men would bring their boys, when they got big enough and show Larry they were good swimmers! After all the Wapsi could get quite dangerous after heavy, summer rains. Larry even drove up to the boat ramp during the week to check out the river for log jams, so he could cut them out before the weekend. Pat would go with him and when the chain saw stopped and quiet restored they could watch the blue herons come in to the many sloughs, seen to were beaver pileated woodpeckers, muskrat, coyote, fox, and all kinds of water species of fish, salamanders, snakes, frogs, etc. It was really idyllic! In the late 60’s, Larry and Pat made the biggest decision and commitment since getting married. The small house was falling apart. Tami needed a better environment because of her severe allergies. They decided to move, but closer to Matsell Bridge. They looked at properties in Jones County, but because that county had no building codes, it left most affordable properties with severe deficiencies. It had to be clean and without mold, mildew, animal droppings that were so hard on Tami’s small body! They drove all around NE Linn County. Finally, it was decided they would build a home of their own, if only they could find some property. One weekend while driving the back roads along the Wapsi, they stopped at the small campground and picnic area with access to the boat ramp, to have a sandwich. As they were getting ready to leave the park, Pat saw a “For Sale” sign in the ditch by the county road. Pat did not say anything to Larry. She wanted to go home and think about the sign, if it truly meant what it said and how could that be? The county selling part of their park system? Who owned the property? How much land was there? Wasn’t there a building of some kind there at one time? And who should she contact without a lot of other people being involved? So many questions. That evening Larry and her were discussing their options up to that point! Pat told him about the “For Sale” sign in the ditch. Had he noticed? NO! But, he was driving! She would call Larry’s sister, who had at one time lived in the area to see if she would have a name. Good place to start! Never one to let grass grow under her feet, the next morning she called Judy. No, Judy didn’t know who owned the property, but she said if anyone knew it would be the people living just SW of the property on the opposite side of the road! Good. A starting point! I knew the people’s name so I called them. Mrs. answered the phone. I told her why I was calling. She was able to give me the name of an elderly couple whose son owned the property. And they lived in Cedar Rapids! Wonderful. To make a long story short, we were able to purchase the property at a very good price. By September of 1972, the house was roughed in and from that point the rest of the building was up to us. We had all the labor to consider besides what we would have to contract for county codes. So much hard labor. Larry knew a lot of good contractors so we had to start from the lower level. Of course there were mistakes made! However, if it wasn’t for our friend, Lyle Harthur and Larry’s Mom and Dad, John and Bert Petty, the house would not be here in good condition 48 years later!
In 1975, Larry and Pat had another exciting event. On October 6th their twins, Ben and Andrea were born. Larry and Pat are still living in their home on Matsell Park Road. Larry was close to good fishing, hunting, and all things having to do with the type of lifestyle he wanted for his family. Living in a rural area with so much to see, do, and learn about. Larry was employed by Central Concrete, Huttig Sash and Door, and Hawkeye Ready Mix. He was a member of the American Legion Post #412 of Central City.
On Thanksgiving weekend in 2017, Larry fell from the roof of the house while cleaning the gutters. Pat had to call 911 as Larry had detached his left arm just above the elbow. At the University of Iowa Hospitals he had surgery to attach the arm with a lot of hardware fusing it back together. He also cracked his pelvic bone, broke his right heel, and several broken ribs. When he fell he landed on concrete and a flower planter made of concrete blocks about two feet tall, just enough to do more damage to his body than we knew. After his hospital stay and a few weeks of rehab, Larry was able to return home on his birthday, January 5th, 2018. At first we all thought he was recovering nicely, except for Pat. Larry had a home health team coming to his home to provide support, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, etc. The VA was a great help. They put a ramp on the house and provided tools to help with his recovery. By spring of 2018, Larry was impatient to get outdoors, start driving again, and do the many things he had taken for granted. He soon found he had limitations. As the 4th of July approached he ended back in the hospital. No one ever came up with a diagnosis. His heart was in good shape; however, he did keep falling, everywhere, while bending and kneeling to pull weeds in the gardens and flower beds, getting the garden tractor stuck, tipping the garden tractor over, etc. Then with all the falls, he would re-injure his left arm where his original injury was. It was really awful looking and Pat was able to finally get him back to the VA so the doctors could properly show them how to take care of the injury and the proper way to bandage the injury. Larry’s health kept going downhill from that point.
In February of 2019, we had record breaking cold weather. People were urged to stay in their homes and not venture outside if you were elderly or you had any health issues. Of course, Larry being the stubborn person he is, without telling Pat what he was doing, decided to go outdoors. The snow on the ground was deep and scrunchy hard. Larry tried walking down his driveway that was on a steep hillside. He got down the driveway, falling on the frigid ice along the edges. He told Pat he had fallen at least three times. Luckily, he had his insulated Carharts on. He was able to get up each time by grabbing the piles of icy snow, left after the drive was plowed. Then to top off the morning, he fell by the mailbox out into the county road. This time he could not get up! He laid there for probably an hour. No one drove by. It was a cold, frigid Saturday morning. No one was out and about. Then he heard the sound of a tractor. The man inside the heated canopy stopped. Larry asked if the man could help him up. This wonderful Samaritan helped Larry up off the cold ground, and drove him right up to the house. Without knocking, he entered the back door with Larry on his back. Pat was startled to see a bearded man open her door and ask her if she was ok. Then she saw Larry. Very pale and sickly. The bearded man left without telling them who he was. They will always be indebted to him for his kindness. Many times they have wondered what he must have thought, coming over the hill, to see a man lying in the middle of the road.
The summer of 2019, was a hard one for all who knew Larry. He was always trying to do chores that were now too difficult for him to do. Pat decided to call Tami and ask her to come home to help. Tami and her husband, Bruce, to please help her out as her doctor’s told her she was not to try taking on this job. So as the last year has progressed Larry was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. For the most part, he’s been relatively pain free. The worst has been the falls and his hospitalizations. The coronavirus has only added to the difficulties of getting Larry to his appointments and approval for someone to accompany him to his appointments.
In March of 2020, the oncologist stopped Larry’s chemo and other oral meds he was taking for the cancer. As a family we have tried some alternative therapy, but nothing stopped the cancer cells growing in his body. Larry was a central figure in his family. We will miss him, love him, and remember all the wonderful times exploring the outdoors. And, we will pray for him
Larry is survived and lovingly remembered by his loving wife, Patricia K. Petty of Central City; children, Tamara (Bruce) Neal of Kansas, Andrea (Nephi) Jones of Norwalk, Iowa, and Benjamin (Aundrea) Petty of Eldridge, Iowa; grandchildren, Leslie Rine of Shenandoah, Iowa, Danica, Liam, and Blythe Jones of Norwalk, and Larry, Alan, and Benjamin Petty of Eldridge; step-grandson, Johnathan McGrew of Eldridge; and sisters, Julia Ann White of Monticello, Iowa and Mary Jean Sotelo of Urbana, Iowa.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John R. and Bertha Petty; grandparents, John W. and Agnes Petty; and mother-in-law, Dorothy M.S. Mowery.
Larry was born January 5, 1943, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the son of John and Bertha (Dvorak) Petty. He lived in the Rompot neighborhood along Otis Road, where his grandparents had a Dairy, Petty Dairy. Growing up near his grandparents was a great asset and working with his grandfather and eating the wonderful Bohemian dishes and pastries made by his grandmother. He also accompanied his grandfather and his grandfather’s friends, coon hunting in the woods around the Sutliff area. Larry was a life-long resident of Linn County. As a teenager, he farmed, raising crops on land along the Cedar River in Linn County. In December of 1960, he enlisted in the United States Army. He served three years and earned a letter of Commendation on April 11, 1963, for his outstanding work on any job assigned to him. He increased production and improved efficiency. After being discharged from the Army, Larry returned home to Cedar Rapids. He met his wife Patricia, who had recently moved to the neighborhood. They dated and married on September 26, 1964. They stayed in the neighborhood living in a small house on his family’s farm. This was ideal as Pat’s mother, who lived by herself was nearby. Larry was on of Dorothy’s favorite people. Larry was always there lending her a helping hand, doing repair work on her property and cars. Running errands and providing moral support. Dorothy always loved him and appreciated all he did for her. Some of Larry and Pat’s best memories were taking her on their fishing trips to Tennessee. In the summer of 1967, their oldest daughter, Tami, was born. By this time Larry was traveling to Matsell Bridge to put his jon boat in the Wapsipinicon River on a Saturday night, taking along family, and friends who he invited for good fishing. From the sandbars, good eating around a campfire and of course some ‘Ole Mil for drinking! Oh, and coffee too! Most times it was his best friend, Lyle Harthun, but the boat was large enough for nine men. Sometimes one of the men would bring their boys, when they got big enough and show Larry they were good swimmers! After all the Wapsi could get quite dangerous after heavy, summer rains. Larry even drove up to the boat ramp during the week to check out the river for log jams, so he could cut them out before the weekend. Pat would go with him and when the chain saw stopped and quiet restored they could watch the blue herons come in to the many sloughs, seen to were beaver pileated woodpeckers, muskrat, coyote, fox, and all kinds of water species of fish, salamanders, snakes, frogs, etc. It was really idyllic! In the late 60’s, Larry and Pat made the biggest decision and commitment since getting married. The small house was falling apart. Tami needed a better environment because of her severe allergies. They decided to move, but closer to Matsell Bridge. They looked at properties in Jones County, but because that county had no building codes, it left most affordable properties with severe deficiencies. It had to be clean and without mold, mildew, animal droppings that were so hard on Tami’s small body! They drove all around NE Linn County. Finally, it was decided they would build a home of their own, if only they could find some property. One weekend while driving the back roads along the Wapsi, they stopped at the small campground and picnic area with access to the boat ramp, to have a sandwich. As they were getting ready to leave the park, Pat saw a “For Sale” sign in the ditch by the county road. Pat did not say anything to Larry. She wanted to go home and think about the sign, if it truly meant what it said and how could that be? The county selling part of their park system? Who owned the property? How much land was there? Wasn’t there a building of some kind there at one time? And who should she contact without a lot of other people being involved? So many questions. That evening Larry and her were discussing their options up to that point! Pat told him about the “For Sale” sign in the ditch. Had he noticed? NO! But, he was driving! She would call Larry’s sister, who had at one time lived in the area to see if she would have a name. Good place to start! Never one to let grass grow under her feet, the next morning she called Judy. No, Judy didn’t know who owned the property, but she said if anyone knew it would be the people living just SW of the property on the opposite side of the road! Good. A starting point! I knew the people’s name so I called them. Mrs. answered the phone. I told her why I was calling. She was able to give me the name of an elderly couple whose son owned the property. And they lived in Cedar Rapids! Wonderful. To make a long story short, we were able to purchase the property at a very good price. By September of 1972, the house was roughed in and from that point the rest of the building was up to us. We had all the labor to consider besides what we would have to contract for county codes. So much hard labor. Larry knew a lot of good contractors so we had to start from the lower level. Of course there were mistakes made! However, if it wasn’t for our friend, Lyle Harthur and Larry’s Mom and Dad, John and Bert Petty, the house would not be here in good condition 48 years later!
In 1975, Larry and Pat had another exciting event. On October 6th their twins, Ben and Andrea were born. Larry and Pat are still living in their home on Matsell Park Road. Larry was close to good fishing, hunting, and all things having to do with the type of lifestyle he wanted for his family. Living in a rural area with so much to see, do, and learn about. Larry was employed by Central Concrete, Huttig Sash and Door, and Hawkeye Ready Mix. He was a member of the American Legion Post #412 of Central City.
On Thanksgiving weekend in 2017, Larry fell from the roof of the house while cleaning the gutters. Pat had to call 911 as Larry had detached his left arm just above the elbow. At the University of Iowa Hospitals he had surgery to attach the arm with a lot of hardware fusing it back together. He also cracked his pelvic bone, broke his right heel, and several broken ribs. When he fell he landed on concrete and a flower planter made of concrete blocks about two feet tall, just enough to do more damage to his body than we knew. After his hospital stay and a few weeks of rehab, Larry was able to return home on his birthday, January 5th, 2018. At first we all thought he was recovering nicely, except for Pat. Larry had a home health team coming to his home to provide support, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, etc. The VA was a great help. They put a ramp on the house and provided tools to help with his recovery. By spring of 2018, Larry was impatient to get outdoors, start driving again, and do the many things he had taken for granted. He soon found he had limitations. As the 4th of July approached he ended back in the hospital. No one ever came up with a diagnosis. His heart was in good shape; however, he did keep falling, everywhere, while bending and kneeling to pull weeds in the gardens and flower beds, getting the garden tractor stuck, tipping the garden tractor over, etc. Then with all the falls, he would re-injure his left arm where his original injury was. It was really awful looking and Pat was able to finally get him back to the VA so the doctors could properly show them how to take care of the injury and the proper way to bandage the injury. Larry’s health kept going downhill from that point.
In February of 2019, we had record breaking cold weather. People were urged to stay in their homes and not venture outside if you were elderly or you had any health issues. Of course, Larry being the stubborn person he is, without telling Pat what he was doing, decided to go outdoors. The snow on the ground was deep and scrunchy hard. Larry tried walking down his driveway that was on a steep hillside. He got down the driveway, falling on the frigid ice along the edges. He told Pat he had fallen at least three times. Luckily, he had his insulated Carharts on. He was able to get up each time by grabbing the piles of icy snow, left after the drive was plowed. Then to top off the morning, he fell by the mailbox out into the county road. This time he could not get up! He laid there for probably an hour. No one drove by. It was a cold, frigid Saturday morning. No one was out and about. Then he heard the sound of a tractor. The man inside the heated canopy stopped. Larry asked if the man could help him up. This wonderful Samaritan helped Larry up off the cold ground, and drove him right up to the house. Without knocking, he entered the back door with Larry on his back. Pat was startled to see a bearded man open her door and ask her if she was ok. Then she saw Larry. Very pale and sickly. The bearded man left without telling them who he was. They will always be indebted to him for his kindness. Many times they have wondered what he must have thought, coming over the hill, to see a man lying in the middle of the road.
The summer of 2019, was a hard one for all who knew Larry. He was always trying to do chores that were now too difficult for him to do. Pat decided to call Tami and ask her to come home to help. Tami and her husband, Bruce, to please help her out as her doctor’s told her she was not to try taking on this job. So as the last year has progressed Larry was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer. For the most part, he’s been relatively pain free. The worst has been the falls and his hospitalizations. The coronavirus has only added to the difficulties of getting Larry to his appointments and approval for someone to accompany him to his appointments.
In March of 2020, the oncologist stopped Larry’s chemo and other oral meds he was taking for the cancer. As a family we have tried some alternative therapy, but nothing stopped the cancer cells growing in his body. Larry was a central figure in his family. We will miss him, love him, and remember all the wonderful times exploring the outdoors. And, we will pray for him
Larry is survived and lovingly remembered by his loving wife, Patricia K. Petty of Central City; children, Tamara (Bruce) Neal of Kansas, Andrea (Nephi) Jones of Norwalk, Iowa, and Benjamin (Aundrea) Petty of Eldridge, Iowa; grandchildren, Leslie Rine of Shenandoah, Iowa, Danica, Liam, and Blythe Jones of Norwalk, and Larry, Alan, and Benjamin Petty of Eldridge; step-grandson, Johnathan McGrew of Eldridge; and sisters, Julia Ann White of Monticello, Iowa and Mary Jean Sotelo of Urbana, Iowa.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John R. and Bertha Petty; grandparents, John W. and Agnes Petty; and mother-in-law, Dorothy M.S. Mowery.
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