Larry Arthur Kitchen, 83, of rural Waverly, MO, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, at Good Shepherd Care Community in Concordia.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at Waverly United Methodist Church with Pastor Andrew Sanders officiating. Burial with military rites will follow at the Missouri State Veterans’ Cemetery in Higginsville. Visitation will be from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday at Campbell-Lewis Funeral Home in Concordia. Memorials are suggested to Waverly United Methodist Church or Santa Fe FFA Chapter. An online guestbook is available at www.campbell-lewis.com
Larry was born on June 26, 1940, in Waverly, to the late Frank Arthur Kitchen and Lucille Martha Gowin Kitchen. He lived in the Waverly and Blackburn area his entire life, was a 1958 graduate of Santa Fe High School at Grand Pass and a lifelong farmer. Following graduation, he joined the United States Army where he served for 28 months with some of those months spent in Korea, and was a member of Tieman-Blackburn American Legion Post 478. On March 31, 1963, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Waverly, he married Mary Ellen Fiene who survives of the home. Larry was a member of Waverly United Methodist Church, where he served on various committees, a member of the Lafayette County Water District, as well as various other community roles. In his younger years he enjoyed arrowhead hunting, going to the lake and riding his motorcycle. Larry was proud to have earned his pilots license and enjoyed flying his airplane with Mary Ellen by his side. As he became “Papa”, he enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and made sure he was at every event. You could find Larry out in the field farming, working in his woodshop, or enjoying time with his friends and family.
In addition to his wife of 61 years, Mary Ellen; he is survived by two children, Todd Kitchen (Betsy) of Blackburn and Paige Limback (Jim) of Corder; four grandchildren: Chance Limback (Amanda), Maleigh Rabenau (Austin), Krede Kitchen and Keastin Kitchen; one great-grandchild, Claire Rabenau; as well as nieces and nephews.
Larry was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Wayne Kitchen.