Larry Hull Linsley

April 23, 1939 - July 22, 2020

Larry Hull Linsley, age 81, passed into eternal life on July 22, 2020, while being cared for at the Hospice Serenity House in Oskaloosa. He was born April 23, 1939, in Oskaloosa, Iowa the son of Howard and Enid (Hull) Linsley. He grew up and was raised on the family farm. Larry attended Oskaloosa High School and was active in track and FFA. He graduated with the Class of 1957. He later attended Iowa State University to pursue a degree in Agribusiness. While attending college, he became active in the ROTC program. After graduating he joined the United States Army. While Larry was stationed in West Germany, he met and married Erika Hofmann on April 18, 1963. After serving his country, they moved back to the United States and settled in Wright, Iowa to raise their family and create a lifetime of memories. After Larry’s parents retired and moved to town, he and Erika moved out to the family farm just east of Wright and became the 3rd generation of Linsley’s to farm the land. He remained actively farming until his health deteriorated in 2019 and he became a resident of Oskaloosa Care Center. He was a lifelong member of the Wright Union Church until it closed and later became a member of the Omega Church in Oskaloosa. Larry was an active member and officer of several local and state organizations including Farm Bureau, Nelson Pioneer Farm, Ruritan, The Gideons, Pheasants Forever and Farm Service. Larry had a strong work ethic and loved to give back to his community. Those left to cherish his memory are his two daughters and their husbands: Roberta and Jack Weston of Des Moines and Elie and Jim Ford of Oskaloosa; a son and his wife: Stephen and Debrah Linsley of Knoxville; 6 grandchildren, Brent (Audrey) Ford, Taylor (Evan) Zimmerman, Kyle (Janessa) Ford, Seth Reinholdt, Nash Linsley and Hanna Linsley; 4 great grandchildren, Erika Zimmerman, Josephine Zimmerman, Kade Ford and Jillian Ford. He is also survived by a cousin, Harlan Linsley Larry was preceded in death by his wife, Erika and his parents, Howard and Enid. A graveside service will be held Saturday, July 25, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. in the White Oak Cemetery east of Oskaloosa with the Reverend Dave Brown officiating. The family would like to invite anyone attending to please bring a lawn chair to sit in during the service. According to the rules put in place by the Iowa Department of Public Health, proper social distancing and reasonable personal protective equipment is advised for attending a religious public event. The graveside service will be live streamed at the funeral home’s YouTube Channel for those wishing to support the family from a distance. The Bates Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. Visitation will begin Friday, July 24 starting after 12:00 p.m. in the Bates Funeral Chapel with the family present from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Friday evening to greet friends and relatives. Memorials may be made to Nelson Pioneer Farm or the Omega Church in Oskaloosa.