Larry L. Gunthorpe
Age 58, passed away August 19, 2018. He was born December 19, 1959, in Lansing. Larry graduated from Everett High School, and began working at Gunthorpe Plumbing and Heating in 1980. He became president of the business in 2005, and retired in January of 2018. He was a member of Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Lansing, the Mid-Michigan MCA, Mechanical Contractors Association of America, and he was an avid Spartan fan.
Larry is survived by his wife of 39 years, Janet; daughters, Erica Gunthorpe and Jessica (Joshua) Bursley; 4 grandchildren, Rhiley, Connor, Stella, and Sophie; his parents, R. Lynn and Janet Gunthorpe; brother, Jerry (Joanie) Gunthorpe; sisters, Lori (Ben) Barber and Lisa (Tim) Pruden; and several nieces and nephews.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)
The funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, August 23, 2018, at Emanuel First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1001 N. Capitol Ave., Lansing. His family will receive friends at the Estes-Leadley Greater Lansing Chapel from 2-4 and 6-8 p.m. Wednesday. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church, Building Fund.
13 Messages to “Larry L. Gunthorpe”
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Preston Wallace
August 20, 2018 at 4:33 pmDear Larry, you have made an everlasting impression on me. In the brief time we knew and worked together I loved you like a brother. You will be missed by many who were blessed to know you. You will continue to be known by your faith, integrity, honesty, commitment to family and a spirit of happiness. Enjoy your next journey. Go in peace.
Francis Rivera
August 20, 2018 at 6:54 pmLarry you will always be in my heart. All the good times we had at Shadow Creek! When I go and shoot my ball and the wind blows the ball in the sand trap, I will laugh and know you did it. My prayers are with your family forever as I know you will be missed so much.
Love
Francis Rivera
Valorie Echtinaw
August 20, 2018 at 7:50 pmLori, I’m so very sorry for your loss.
I will be praying for your comfort. With Ben by your side, you can get, all the support you need. Love you Lori
Theresa Card Doerr
August 20, 2018 at 9:08 pmMy deepest sympathies go out to the entire family. I knew Larry in high school and know the family has lost a great father, husband, brother and son
Dawn Bauer
August 20, 2018 at 9:19 pmYou did fight hard and kept your faith. I’m so sorry to the family. It has been 5 months Jason Bauer passed away from brain cancer. Please reach out to me if I can help in any way. God Bless
John & Bobbi Muije
August 21, 2018 at 2:00 amI would be totally remiss not to add my name to Larry’s memorial! I don’t think I have ever known a better human being! Great father, and even greater grandfather, a loving husband and a wonderful compassionate employer! Larry loved life and cherished friends!
Few will understand how very much he will be missed!! I know that every time I see the Spartans score, Larry will be standing there beside me cheering as well! Go Green!
We Love You Larry, and will always remember the wonderful times we shared!!
Love,
John & Bobbi Muije
Jeff Schaub
August 21, 2018 at 6:06 amLarry was my best friend growing up. All the football games and basketball games..rest in peace my friend.
Mark Buske
August 21, 2018 at 9:37 amThe Buske family will certainly miss Larry and the good times we had with the Gunthorpes over the years, celebrating many occasions and Spartan victories too.
May the sure and certain promise of our Lord Jesus comfort your family as you enter a new phase of your lives: He said, “Because I live, you also will live.” Larry is home! God be praised!
Romans 8:28-39 offers great comfort during these difficult times. In the final verses there, Paul writes “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
God be with you all!
Cheryl Simmerman
August 21, 2018 at 9:39 amLarry was a wonderful man and will be greatly missed. I am saddened he has left us but know he is at peace.
Love
Cheryl Simmerman
Dan Brocklehurst
August 21, 2018 at 6:37 pmLarry was a truly faithful man who shared the gift of support to his family, congregation and company. We are blessed to have had him in our life. Thank you Janet for sharing your husband with everyone. Prayers continue.
Dan and MaryEllen Brocklehurst
Tom Frazier
August 22, 2018 at 9:06 amGreat trustee, representing plumber-pipefitter industry, great friend and better man.
Will be missed.
Tom Frazier
Michael West
August 22, 2018 at 9:30 amHaving worked with him at the Big 3MCA through those challenging times of difficult transition from Lansing MCA to Mid-Michigan MCA, I knew Larry as an almost insufferably cheerful person – all the time. That demeanor helped to bring calm when Nerves tugged at the rest of us, whispering to us: Go nuts. He asserted leadership without imposing command, but even with that relaxed air, no one tried to push him around. He could remain friends with opposition – even from Ann Arbor.
Board meetings under his gavel were calm, enjoyable, purposeful, accomplished and efficient.
Oh how I hated him at our golf outings, though – except, of course, for seeing the beauty of that Larry G. form, strength and accuracy that was quintessentially Gunthorpe! With brother Jerry he partnered well, Lords of the Links… he was a premier golfer for sure, but he made it all look so dad blasted easy: long straight distance, casually chipped and putted efficiently. Always with that smile while others of us grimaced in frustration and muttered excuses for our own play. (No wonder he was always cheerful, though never lording it over us duffers, we Peons of the Sand Traps!)
He did not have to campaign for anything – his unsung personal manner brought people to him when a job or a conversation was needed – Big 3MCA, the State and MCAA… MCAA with their great conventions where he and Janet helped make those great affairs extra enjoyable.
And Larry: Green and White all the way. Great Loyal aspect of Larry’s life.
I have not seen Larry in ten years – Time slides on a greased whisper into the Mist of our memory: where has it gone! It was nice during that time to know, though, that he could be reached. After ten years… now he is missed and will be, at least until we enter into that next phase of Life. May the Lord be with you still, Larry.
Michael West
Big 3MCA Executive Director, Retired
Janet Gunthorpe
August 23, 2018 at 7:15 pmSweet words. Thanks a Mike.
Janet