Larry Ade

After nearly two weeks of battling COVID, Larry Ade went to be with the Lord on January 5, 2022, at the age of 71.

Visitation with family, 5-7pm, Monday, January 10; and Services, 10am, Tuesday, January 11, BOTH at Calvary Baptist Church, Derby. Click on the following link to live stream the Funeral Service: https://youtu.be/tI-F0pwGQdg.

Larry was born in Abilene, Kansas to Louis and Betty Ade of Carlton, Kansas where he lived on the family farm until graduating fom Chapman High School.  He attended Bethany Lutheran College in Lindsborg, Kansas where his received a bachelors in Music Education.  His first job after college he taught Junior High music, and coached wrestling at Augusta Junior High.  During the summer months, Larry became a licensed electrician and wired houses for additional income.  After being introduced to investment banking by an uncle, he realized that working with adults and helping them grow their money was his passion. Thus began his 45 plus year career in investment banking. Larry would later obtain his real estate license, helping Susan sell properties in the Courtyards at the Oaks where they resided at his death.  Along this same time, Larry and his brother Steve started their entrepreneurial venture in an erosion control company in Salina, Kansas. This was an exciting new venture for Larry, giving him the opportunity to watch the business come to life from the ground up, and anticipating what the future would hold for their new company.
 
Growing up on the farm instilled the “work hard” ethic to succeed during his life.  Putting God first in everything gave the balance that it was God, and not Larry who allowed for the good things that were provided.  Larry asked God to do His work through him.
 
Even though Larry’s time as a teacher was short, he developed lifelong friendships with former students, and that became a pattern in his life.  When you first met Larry, everyone had the same, but different, experience.  Larry loved life, and it showed to all.  He never met a stranger that didn’t become a friend within the first few moments of getting to know him.  The term “stand-offish” would never be a term that you would use to describe Larry.  Quite the opposite.  Sometimes his eyes would flash, he’d get that “Crazy Larry look”, and the standing joke was “Larry, you just need to eat a Snickers.” He was fun, encouraging, and positive about the future.  He was genuine.  His personality might have been the same with everyone, but he treated you as an individual, a unique person that he wanted to get to know better, and he usually did. He was that friend that whether it was a month, a year, or ten years since you had seen each other, your relationship with him never changed.  You just picked up where you left off.  He was just that kind of guy.
 
He was God’s servant.  He had a servant’s personality.  His passion of helping others with their finances gave him great joy.  He wasn’t that guy that wouldn’t take your call, he was that guy that was usually calling you.  As a servant, he was always wanting to help.  You need to use a tool, the trailer, a motorcycle, a heater for your barn?  It was yours.  Did he ever feel uncomfortable, or intimidated doing things he had never done before? If he did, it never showed.  Larry was a soccer coach, but new nothing about soccer.  He was a basketball coach, but only had watched it on TV. He stepped up and was a softball coach for years for Leah and her friends at the DRC. He ran the clock during basketball games. He helped with concessions. He judged debate tournaments. He was a junior camp counselor, when, during game time it was hard to tell if he was a kid or a counselor.  He stepped up. He loved life.  He loved people.  He loved God, and it showed every day.
 
Larry loved his family.  He met Susan while both were working for Education Overland, a ski shop in Wichita.  While working his finance job in Wichita he enjoyed skiing during the winter months.  He would set skis on Monday nights for trips leaving on Thursday, and received ski merchandise in payment.  Susan also worked to receive discounts on ski trips, and worked with ski apparel and merchandise, some of which was kept in a GLASS display case.  The very first night they worked together, wanting to meet her, Larry began vacuuming the floor. When he got closer to the GLASS case, he lifted the vacuum and started vacuuming the top of the GLASS display case that she was standing behind; all the time keeping eye contact with her, and impishly stating “Hi, my name’s Larry.”  That was the beginning of life with “Crazy” Larry for Susan.  They were married for 32 years.
 
Larry loved his kids.  He wanted them to enjoy life as much as he did.  You didn’t sit around inside with Larry.  If you could be outside doing something, that’s where you were.  Both Michael and Leah were able to experience his love for camping, hiking, fishing, boating, tubing, shooting, and most recently motorcycles, just an overall love of the outdoors that as adults they have embraced in their own lives.  When his 5 grandchildren came into his life, he did the same for them. Larry taught them life lessons; if you want something you work for it, save your money, and take care of what you have, and it will take care of you for years. If you borrow something, return it as good if not better than you received it. Be kind to all people, and treat them the way you would want to be treated, but also don’t be taken advantage of. He taught that lesson well.  Most of all, he taught them respect for God.  God first, and everything else will find its place.
 
Larry’s passing leaves a large hole in the lives of anyone that was ever fortunate enough to have known him.  The saying: “To know him, is to love him” certainly puts it in simple terms, but expresses just what he meant to all of us.

Preceded in death by his parents, Louis and Betty (Graves) Ade. Larry is survived by his wife of 31 years, Susan, his children, Michael (Christal) Ade of Chapman and Leah Ade of Kansas City, his brothers Steve (Lee Ann) Ade of Salina and Rodney (Jeanette) Ade of Carlton, and granddaughters, Brittany (Derek), Rachel, Brynna, Avery, and Josie. 

In lieu of flowers, Memorial: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memorial Processing, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

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