Obituary for Larry Tarpenning

Larry Glenn Tarpenning, age 77, resident of Ponca City, passed peacefully on July 2, 2014. With a smile and his eyes fixed on heaven… he left us to experience the joy and promise of everlasting life.

Our Dad was born on March 1, 1937 to Glenn and Daisy Tarpenning in Ponca City. He was a Christian man and a proud Dad, Grandfather and Great Grandfather. He loved our family and we knew it. He was kind hearted and quick to lend a helping hand. We thought of him as a super Athlete – always first at everything and he enjoyed a good competition until the day he died. He would not want us to go on about his achievements, but he did get a kick out of being elected Captain of the Ponca City High School Senior baseball team and setting the all-time highest batting average in Oklahoma of 509. He won scholarships to college at North Oklahoma College in both baseball and football. He married his high school sweetheart, raised two children and began his career with Conoco just after college, where he was Lead Operator of the Refinery, while enjoying company baseball, and providing legendary fish fries and cookouts until his retirement.

Dad was a great story teller with a wonderful sense of humor, quick wit and could tell jokes one after another. He was an avid outdoorsman — a very successful hunter and raised and trained his own bird dogs, and one of the most successful fishermen in the region. In later years, his hobbies were limited due to his health, but he loved his dominoes, poker, working out at the Conoco gym, going to the First Christian Church every Sunday and being with his good friends.

“Big Larry” or “Tarp” as he was known by his friends, was a “man’s man.” He loved God and the good old USA. He was a bit of an “Archie Bunker” — but he was our Archie Bunker and we loved him very much. Dad left this world looking up into the heavens with a smile on his face – such a joyful image that we will treasure forever. Dad you are a winner to us. Now he’s running strong and on to bigger fish in God’s Kingdom. Thank you for your love and legacy.

Preceding Larry in death were his parents and sister, Kay Tarpenning Finch. Survivors include his daughter, Terry Morgan and husband Bruce of Knoxville, TN; son, Larry A Tarpenning of Stillwater, OK; brother, Phillip Kent “P.K.” Tarpenning and his wife Donna of Tyler, TX; Grandchildren: Lauren Upshaw Eastham and husband Michael, Jr. of Brentwood, TN; Victor Upshaw and his wife Erin of Knoxville, TN; Steven “Chance” Tarpenning and his wife Kara of Stillwater, OK and Chelsey Tarpenning of Oklahoma City, OK; extended grandchildren Matthew Morgan of Washington, DC and Tara Morgan DeLozier and husband Josh of Springdale, AR; great grandchildren: Michael “Davis,” III, and Averi Eastham; Ava and Leighton Upshaw; Logan, Bailey, Lily Ann and Kirby Sue Tarpenning, and many loving nieces, nephews and cousins. The family wishes to thank his caregivers, Cheryl Thompkins and friends.

A celebration of his life will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, July 18, 2014 at the First Christian Church Chapel, with Rev. Larry B. Metzger officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home & Crematory,

Honorary casket bearers will be – Gary Schrader, Richard Smith, Zak Pryse, Jim Tucker, Rick Holt, and Doug McCleary

Memorial Contributions may be made to the 1st Christian Church Memorial Scholarship Fund in Larry’s and his sister Kay’s memory, 210 N. 5th St., Ponca City, OK 74601, 580.762.1667, www.fccponcacity.com/

Source: Trout Funeral Home