Larry Lee Depue

Larry was born on July 20, 1939 in Wellsville, KS to Ules C. and Laura Opal Caruthers Rice. After a divorce, Opal married Joseph A. Depue and Larry was adopted by his step-father. After graduating from Liberal, MO, High School he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served as Electrician's Mate Class A on several destroyers including: USS Gilligan, USS Rogers, USS Luce, USS Brister and USS Renshaw until being discharged in 1967. He later enlisted and in the Missouri National Guard, 865th Medical Company (AMB) as a Medical Specialist Spec 5 until his discharge in 1979. Larry married Bonita Pennington on March 31, 1978, in Miami, OK. They made their home in Lamar, MO, where he worked as an auto mechanic and tow truck driver for Gilkey's Chevrolet for over 30 years. Upon his retirement in 2004 they moved to Lawton, OK. He is survived by his wife, Bonita, of the home; and 3 children from a previous marriage, Nancy Lea Paoletti and her husband, David, of Ypsilanti, MI, James Joseph of Nashville, TN and Bonnie Jo McCarty of Georgia; a brother Jerry Depue and his wife Linda of Indianola, IA; brothers and sisters-in-law, C.L. and Judy Pennington of Cache, OK, Connie and Gary Pierce of Geronimo, OK, Dixie and John Fischer of Lawton, Ron and Tammy Pennington of Duncan, OK, Randy and Debra Pennington of Lawton; 5 grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Larry was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Francis Depue.