Larry D. Winfrey, 65, of rural Sweet Springs, MO, died Saturday, March 4, 2023, at his home.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, March 10, 2023, at Campbell-Lewis Chapel in Sweet Springs with Jack Thomas and Willie Harlow officiating. There won’t be a formal visitation, but family and friends are welcome to gather from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Friday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to family choice and an online guestbook is available at www.campbell-lewis.com.
Please note: Out of respect for Eileen, who is fighting her own cancer battle which has caused a weakened immune system, please wear a mask while around her. Also, because Larry was such an avid sports fan, you are encouraged to wear your favorite sports team attire.
Born February 8, 1958, in Sedalia, he was the son of the late Herschel Lloyd Winfrey and Helen Lange Winfrey. Larry lived in the Sweet Springs area his entire life where he was the Tri Captain of the 1975 Greyhound football team and a 1976 graduate of Sweet Springs High School. He also graduated from Marshall Vo-Tech in 1976. On August 16, 1980, he married Eileen M. Cates who survives of the home. Larry worked at Koppel Fabrication, was a bus driver for 15 years, and an insurance agent for over 30 years. Larry loved all of his family and was proud to have helped coach Paul’s 13 year old Junior League team to the National Regional Championship game in 1997. The team missed going to the World Series by one game. Larry was extremely active in the Sweet Springs community where he was a former Jaycee’s president, former Sweet Springs High School booster club vice president, former fair board member and a former city councilman. He was a strong supporter of the youth in Sweet Springs and was proud to have been a little league coach. It was important to Larry that the kids of Sweet Springs had a place to play ball so he was instrumental in seeing to it the field of dreams was built and that the pee wee field at the park was rebuilt.
In addition to his wife, Eileen; he is survived by three children: Herschel Paul Winfrey (Lindsay) of rural Knob Noster, Amber Nicole Killion (Nathan) of rural Houstonia and Danielle Paige Winfrey of Sweet Springs; nine grandchildren: Gabriel, Isabel, Adelyn, Olivia, Lily, Avery, Finley, Henry and Maddie; as well as nieces, nephews, and other extended family.
Larry was preceded in death by his parents; one granddaughter, Destiny; one brother, Lloyd D. Winfrey; and one sister, Barbara “Bobbie” Sims.