Larry Langhorst, 79, of Liberty, Mo., passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family on Sept. 6, 2023. Memorial Mass will be 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 16, at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Howells with Rev. Walter Jong-A-Kiem as celebrant. The funeral will be live streamed on the Stokely Funeral Home Facebook page at facebook.com/stokelyfuneralhome. Burial will be at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Cemetery with lunch following at the Howells Catholic Social Center.
Visitation will be Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church with a Vigil Service at 7 p.m. Memorials can be made to the Howells Community Fund in the name of Larry Langhorst. Arrangements by Stokely Funeral Home.
Larry Joseph Langhorst was born Jan. 10, 1944 in West Point, Neb., to Henry C. and Theresa M. (Kaup) Langhorst. He was raised on the family farm south of Howells, attended Saints Peter & Paul elementary school and graduated from Howells High School in 1962. Larry received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education in 1966 from Wayne State College. After graduation he taught in Battle Creek, Mich., for two years before returning to Nebraska to teach social studies at Blair High School where he also coached basketball and cross country. He married Patricia Melena at St. Pius X Catholic Church in Omaha on Dec. 19, 1970. They made their home in Blair and were blessed with two sons, Eric and Kurt. Larry continued his education, earning a Master of Science degree in Audio Visual Communication from the University of Wisconsin – Stout in 1972.
In 1977, the family moved back to the Howells community after purchasing the Howells Journal newspaper. Larry received numerous photo and writing awards from the Nebraska Press Association over his career as publisher of the weekly paper. The business also published several shoppers including the Colfax County Cent Saver, The Farmer’s Market and The Fremonter. They sold the publishing company in 1992 and Larry returned to teaching as a library media specialist for elementary and high school students at Pierce Public Schools in 1994.
Larry and Pat purchased the John Kovar home in Howells and established the Prairie Garden Bed & Breakfast in 1993, which they operated until 2011 when they retired and moved to Liberty, Mo.
Larry served as President of the Howells Community Club and the Howells Public Library Foundation, was a member of the Howells Community Catholic School Board, and Co-Chaired the Howells Centennial Committee in 1987. Larry was a member of the Nebraska State Education Association and served as a mentor with the Teammates program. He loved his family, watching the Huskers and the Chicago Cubs, gardening and caring for his flowers. Larry took Master Gardener classes, enjoyed photography, history and nature.
After retiring to Missouri, he worked part time at the Mid Continent Public Library in Smithville, Mo., and created an educational garden for Hy-Vee in Liberty where he would host school field trips and educate students about gardening.
Survivors include his wife, Patricia of Liberty, Mo.; two sons: Eric Langhorst and his wife Jayme (Bratschi) of Liberty, Mo., Kurt Langhorst and his wife Colleen (Tarsney) of Liberty, Mo.; four grandchildren: Addison Langhorst and Scarlet Langhorst (Eric and Jayme), Henry Langhorst and Nate Langhorst (Kurt and Colleen), all of Liberty, Mo.; and a sister-in-law, Mary Langhorst (wife of David) of Omaha, Neb.
He was preceded in death by his parents Henry C. and Theresa M. (Kaup) Langhorst, his sister Marlene Reiter and her husband Robert, brothers Gerhard Langhorst and his wife Lavina, Robert Langhorst and his wife Myra, Norbert Langhorst and his wife Shirley, and David Langhorst.
For condolences Pat’s current address is: Pat Langhorst, 2115 Maturana Drive, Apt 206A, Liberty, Missouri 64068.
