Larry Kibble was born on February 10, 1948 in Los Angeles, California to the late Ike Kibble and Clara Belle Martin Kibble. He was one of five children. His three brothers Ike Jr., Harold, and Perry preceded him in death. He leaves to cherish his memory devoted wife of 46 years Gracie, two sons Larry Kibble Jr., and Shaun Kibble, his sister Janis, and brother-in-law Solomon McClinton. In addition, he is survived by daughter in law Amy Kibble, former daughter in law Natalie Dhanes, five wonderful grandchildren Jaiden 11, Roman 9, Sophia 6, Jaxson 4, and Connor 2 months. As well as longtime friend Ed Banyard and a host of other loving family and friends.
Larry was a deeply devoted family man with an abiding love for five major pillars in his life, Family, the military, golf, travelling, and Lockheed Martin. He joined Lockheed in 1967 starting out in the tooling organization. In 1968 his service with Lockheed was interrupted by a four-year service term in the U.S. Air Force where he served as an Airborne Radar Operator and Weapons Technician on board a Lockheed EC-121 aircraft. His tours of distinguished duty included tours in South East Asia flying combat support missions for operations during the Vietnam War.
In December 1971 Larry received an early discharge to return to school and resume his career with Lockheed. Upon his return he worked in manufacturing. His analytical mind and leadership qualities were readily apparent, and he was promoted to Manufacturing Supervisor in 1975, where he progressed until being promoted to Manager of Sub Assembly Operations for the Burbank plant in 1978. In January of 1980 Larry was moved to the Advanced Development Projects (ADP) team and within six months was promoted to Assistant Division Manager for sheet metal operations. By 1986 during the height of the F-117 and TR-1 production programs he was given leadership for all Fabrication Operations. Over the next 5 years he was promoted through multiple levels of leadership and became Director of Manufacturing for Lockheed Martin Skunk Works with responsibility for the Palmdale and Ontario sites. In October of 1991 Larry was also appointed to the Board of Director’s for the Lockheed Federal Credit Union where he served in multiple capacities including Chairman of the Board of Directors until September of 2016. When he retired from Lockheed Martin Larry Kibble was the Deputy Vice President for Quality & Mission Success for all of Aeronautics with responsibility for employees and operations in multiple states including California, Texas, and Georgia.
Larry Kibble’s distinguished professional career is surpassed only by the shining light of example that he served for his family and all he came in contact with. His enduring legacy lives on in the celebration of life that he leaves behind. The family acknowledges with great gratitude the numerous expressions of love, support, concern, and sympathy that have been expressed to us. In lieu of flowers or cards the family asks that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in his honor.
Remember the Legacy
My father was born on February 10, 1948 in Los Angeles, California to the late Ike Kibble and Clara Belle Martin Kibble. He was one of five children with three brothers Ike Jr., Harold, Perry, and one younger sister Janis. Growing up in Compton, California would have a significant impact on the man he would become, and the type of Family he wanted to lead. In the 1950’s the first African American families began to move to the Compton area in search of affordable housing, and gainful employment opportunities beyond the reach of the Jim Crowe south. A key component in those potential Southern California opportunities were the high paying Aerospace manufacturing jobs being offered by companies like Lockheed Aircraft Co. During World War II Lockheed built Hudson Bombers, P-38 Lightnings, and under license from Boeing 2,750 B-17 Flying Fortress bombers. By the time the war ended in 1945 Lockheed had built 19, 278 aircraft at its Burbank facilities (6% of the total American aircraft production from 1941 to 1945). Following World War II, the Lockheed facilities in Burbank played a critical supporting role for the US military. This combined with the sterling reputation Lockheed had earned during the height of the war drew my grandfather Ike Sr. to join the Burbank manufacturer and start the Kibble legacy with what would eventually become the Skunk Works.
Before joining the military and eventually Lockheed my father was a somewhat atypical young African American male growing up in Compton. Always tall for his age he would eventually top out at 6’6” and was a stellar Southern California High School athlete. Lettering in multiple sports including Track & Field. His success on the field was matched by his intellect, and dedication to learning off it. Growing up in what could be a challenging neighborhood in the best of times my father used those experiences as lessons for the day, and fuel for the future. Some of those experiences such as losing his oldest brother to gun violence when he was an innocent bystander who went to the corner store to pick up some groceries, losing another brother after a long battle with substance abuse, and seeing many childhood friends succumb to the pressures and temptations of the environment they grew up in; only served to harden my father’s resolve to set a different tone and example for his children to one day follow.
My father was a deeply devoted family man with an abiding love for five major pillars in his life, Family, the military, golf, travelling, and Lockheed Martin. He joined Lockheed in 1967 starting out in the tooling organization. In 1968 his service with Lockheed was interrupted by a four-year service term in the U.S. Air Force where he served as an Airborne Radar Operator and Weapons Technician on board a Lockheed EC-121 aircraft. His tours of distinguished duty included tours in South East Asia flying combat support missions for operations during the Vietnam War.
In December 1971 Larry received an early discharge to return to school and resume his career with Lockheed. Upon his return he worked in manufacturing. His analytical mind and leadership qualities were readily apparent, and he was promoted to Manufacturing Supervisor in 1975, where he progressed until being promoted to Manager of Sub Assembly Operations for the Burbank plant in 1978. In January of 1980 Larry was moved to the Advanced Development Projects (ADP) team and within six months was promoted to Assistant Division Manager for sheet metal operations. By 1986 during the height of the F-117 and TR-1 production programs he was given leadership for all Fabrication Operations. Over the next 5 years he was promoted through multiple levels of leadership and became Director of Manufacturing for Lockheed Martin Skunk Works with responsibility for the Palmdale and Ontario sites. In October of 1991 Larry was also appointed to the Board of Director’s for the Lockheed Federal Credit Union where he served in multiple capacities including Chairman of the Board of Directors until September of 2016. When he retired from Lockheed Martin Larry Kibble was the Deputy Vice President for Quality & Mission Success for all of Aeronautics with responsibility for employees and operations in multiple states including California, Texas, and Georgia.
My dad’s professional accomplishments are filed toward the back of my memory rolodex. The time we spent together on Golf Courses whether competing in leagues or playing a round during one of our numerous family vacations around the world were unique opportunities to share in his experiences, humor, philosophy, and love. Those are the memories that reside in the front of my consciousness. I did not know it at the time, but those Golf outings would be life shaping moments that would end up defining much of who I am today. Those who had the opportunity to know my dad probably understand what I am saying. For those that didn’t have that opportunity I hope this provides some spark towards that understanding.
Every day I am reminded of my father. On my desk in my office at work I have his original hand carved wooden name and title plate from when he first became a production manager. On one of the walls in my office hangs a plaque in his name that contains an American flag that was flown abord four historic Skunk Works aircraft. An SR-71 that flew on Jan. 27, 1984 at Mach 3.0+ and an altitude over 80,000 feet, an F-117A Stealth Fighter that flew on February 28, 1980, a U-2 Reconnaissance aircraft that flew on July 11, 1990 at an altitude of 60,000+ ft, and a TR-1 aircraft that flew on April 18, 1990 also at an altitude of over 60,000 ft. I keep both items in my office to serve as a reminder of the legacy and expectation for excellence that I have always felt carrying my father’s name. It’s a responsibility that I both take pride in and secretly fear I can never live up to. My last words to my father on Saturday March 27th were that I love him and pray that I made him half as proud of me as I was to have him for a Father.
Larry Kibble’s distinguished professional career is surpassed only by the shining light of example that he served for his family and all he came in contact with. His enduring legacy lives on in the celebration of life that he leaves behind. The family acknowledges with great gratitude the numerous expressions of love, support, concern, and sympathy that have been expressed to us. In lieu of flowers or cards the family asks that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association in his honor.
Dad
Thanks, thanks for being the example in my life,
Thanks for being in my corner.
Thanks for being a great father.
Thanks for being the father I wish to be.
Thanks for the hard conversations with me.
Thanks for the easy ones too.
Thanks for never giving up on me.
Thanks for always believing in me.
Thanks for the places I have been to and life that I live.
Thanks for instilling in me the will and pride I have.
Thanks for shaping me into the young man I am today.
Simply Dad, thanks for it all, the good, the bad, the frustrating, the arguments, the conversations, thanks for it all.
Dad when I look at the way some other young black males act who don’t have a Dad like you, I simply think to myself how lucky I am to have a father like you.
For the best Father a young man can ever have.
Shaun Kibble
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