| Billie Wayne Lary "Poppa" November 13, 1926 - February 14, 2000 |
Bill Lary was born in Woodville, Oklahoma, the youngest of 14 children born to Maggie
and Albert Lary. He served in the Navy as a Radio Operator in WWII, and married Marian
O'Dell in 1952. They had two children, my brother and me. After years of working in the
Texas oilfields, he packed up his family and moved to California where he went to work
for Boeing Company. This move launched a career that took him from California to Utah,
and eventually to the John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where he worked as a
heavy equipment supervisor for 27 years until he retired in 1993.
God gives everyone a talent. Although Poppa was both artistic and musically inclined, I
believe his greatest talent was helping others, but not always in such a way as most folks
would notice. Whether it was helping children grow up to understand right from wrong, or
pulling a gag or a prank to help others remember how to laugh, or just offering a lending
hand when needed, he cared deeply for others. But he would never admit it. In fact, I'm
sure that if he could, he would write this Memorial much differently, saying he only did
things to prove he could. His favorite philosophy was, "Where there's a Bill, there's a
way." Poppa was funny like that. Of course, he had his fair share of peculiarities. That's
what made him so unique. I always thought it funny that he worked in the space
program, a high tech industry; he helped put a man on the moon and later worked with
the many space shuttle launches, yet he refused to have a microwave, a VCR, or
cable television. Well, in all honesty, he did get a microwave eventually
because someone gave him one as a gift (even though he would
only use it to heat coffee). When he retired, he finally caved in and
signed up for basic cable, too. He discovered he loved CNN.
Poppa never knew it, but in helping others, I really believe he was giving a piece of
himself away. Whether it was a piece of his time, a piece of his humor with his pranks
and practical jokes, a piece of his mind with his wit and wisdom, or a piece of his heart,
through his love and caring; he gave everyone he knew a piece of himself in one way or
another. Anyone who ever met Billie Wayne Lary never walked away the same. For just
in knowing him, it changed you in some small way. Sometimes, even in a big way.
He had a big heart. He loved. He laughed. He joked. He gave. I find it fitting that on
Valentine's Day, at the age of 73, Poppa gave his best valentine, his heart, to God. He
went home to be with the Lord, where he was reunited with his thirteen brothers and
sisters, his parents and grandparents, aunt and uncles, cousins and the many friends
who passed on before him.
I'm sure he's been telling some terrific tales, all of them true, of course; omitting the
sorrows and embellishing the joys and laughter. He probably retells over and over again
the silly pranks he pulled and who got the heartiest laugh from it. Some of them are so
funny, that I believe even the angels will chuckle.
Thank you, Poppa. I can now know for certain there is laughter in Heaven.
and Albert Lary. He served in the Navy as a Radio Operator in WWII, and married Marian
O'Dell in 1952. They had two children, my brother and me. After years of working in the
Texas oilfields, he packed up his family and moved to California where he went to work
for Boeing Company. This move launched a career that took him from California to Utah,
and eventually to the John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where he worked as a
heavy equipment supervisor for 27 years until he retired in 1993.
God gives everyone a talent. Although Poppa was both artistic and musically inclined, I
believe his greatest talent was helping others, but not always in such a way as most folks
would notice. Whether it was helping children grow up to understand right from wrong, or
pulling a gag or a prank to help others remember how to laugh, or just offering a lending
hand when needed, he cared deeply for others. But he would never admit it. In fact, I'm
sure that if he could, he would write this Memorial much differently, saying he only did
things to prove he could. His favorite philosophy was, "Where there's a Bill, there's a
way." Poppa was funny like that. Of course, he had his fair share of peculiarities. That's
what made him so unique. I always thought it funny that he worked in the space
program, a high tech industry; he helped put a man on the moon and later worked with
the many space shuttle launches, yet he refused to have a microwave, a VCR, or
cable television. Well, in all honesty, he did get a microwave eventually
because someone gave him one as a gift (even though he would
only use it to heat coffee). When he retired, he finally caved in and
signed up for basic cable, too. He discovered he loved CNN.
Poppa never knew it, but in helping others, I really believe he was giving a piece of
himself away. Whether it was a piece of his time, a piece of his humor with his pranks
and practical jokes, a piece of his mind with his wit and wisdom, or a piece of his heart,
through his love and caring; he gave everyone he knew a piece of himself in one way or
another. Anyone who ever met Billie Wayne Lary never walked away the same. For just
in knowing him, it changed you in some small way. Sometimes, even in a big way.
He had a big heart. He loved. He laughed. He joked. He gave. I find it fitting that on
Valentine's Day, at the age of 73, Poppa gave his best valentine, his heart, to God. He
went home to be with the Lord, where he was reunited with his thirteen brothers and
sisters, his parents and grandparents, aunt and uncles, cousins and the many friends
who passed on before him.
I'm sure he's been telling some terrific tales, all of them true, of course; omitting the
sorrows and embellishing the joys and laughter. He probably retells over and over again
the silly pranks he pulled and who got the heartiest laugh from it. Some of them are so
funny, that I believe even the angels will chuckle.
Thank you, Poppa. I can now know for certain there is laughter in Heaven.
