Larry Nolan Forehand

Larry Nolan Forehand, founder of Casa Olé Restaurants and former Vice Chairman of Mexican Restaurants, Inc., passed away on June 7, 2026, leaving a remarkable legacy of entrepreneurship, service, leadership, and devotion to family and community.

Born on June 9, 1944, Larry’s lifelong passion for the restaurant industry began at just fourteen years old when he took a job as a busboy at Monterey House Mexican Restaurant. Through hard work, determination, and natural leadership, he steadily rose through the ranks to become a manager and eventually Director of Operations.

During his tenure with Monterey House, Larry was drafted into the United States Army and proudly served his country for two years, including a year in Vietnam, where he experienced significant combat operations. His military service remained one of the accomplishments of which he was most proud, and he carried that sense of duty, resilience, and patriotism throughout his life.

At the age of 29, Larry took a leap of faith and opened the first Casa Olé Restaurant on December 1, 1973. What began as a single restaurant grew into one of Texas’s most recognized restaurant brands. In a fitting full-circle moment, Casa Olé acquired Monterey House in 1997—the very company where Larry’s journey in the restaurant business had begun decades earlier.

Larry’s dedication to the hospitality industry extended far beyond his own company. A passionate advocate for restaurateurs across Texas, he served on the boards of both the Houston Restaurant Association and the Texas Restaurant Association. His leadership and commitment earned him the roles of President of the Houston Restaurant Association, President of the Texas Restaurant Association, and Chairman of the Texas Restaurant Association Education Foundation. Among his many accomplishments, Larry was inducted into the TRA Hall of Honor, recognizing the lasting impact he made throughout his career. The friendships, experiences, and opportunities that came from his years of service in the industry brought him tremendous joy and remained among his most cherished memories.

His leadership was recognized well beyond the restaurant community. Larry was appointed by Governor George W. Bush to serve as Chairman of the Texas Insurance Purchasing Alliance and was nominated as Small Business Person of the Year for the State of Texas. He also devoted countless hours to civic service, serving as a Director of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo through the Pasadena and Deer Park Go Texan Committees, and the Pasadena Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Larry was an active member of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, where he enthusiastically shared his love of music through Sunday School and Vacation Bible School programs. He also generously volunteered his time as a parent at Presbyterian School and Episcopal High School. Whether building sets, decorating for Christmas events, serving meals to those in need, helping at sporting events, or supporting the Dads’ Club, he was always willing to lend a hand and contribute to his community. His faith, generosity, and joyful spirit touched countless lives.

Outside of work and community service, Larry embraced life wholeheartedly. He loved playing softball, coaching all his daughters’ teams, fishing the waters of Belize, cheering on his favorite sports teams, and spending hours poolside with a good book. He also never met a dirty dish or a basket of laundry he couldn’t resist tackling. Larry approached life with enthusiasm, curiosity, humility, and a genuine love for people.

Larry is survived by his wife of thirty years, Kristi Reinertsen-Forehand; his daughters, River Reinertsen-Forehand, Hunter Reinertsen-Forehand, Nicole Ammonette (Tommy), Robin Scott (Trey), Robin Inzer (Jim), and Lisa Meche (Thomas); his brother and sister-in-law, Roger and Mendy Forehand; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; his sister-in-law, Autumn Robbins, and brother-in-law, Eric Reinertsen; and many nieces, nephews, dear friends, and family members by choice. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, and his mother-in-law.

Larry will be laid to rest with military honors at Houston National Cemetery on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at 12:45pm. A memorial service celebrating his life will follow at 4pm at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church in the Sanctuary, 3471 Westheimer Road, Houston, TX 77027. Further service details can be found online at Earthman Bellaire Funeral Home. The memorial service will be livestreamed for those who are unable to attend in person. https://memorials.stlukesmethodist.org/larry-forehand/

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Texas Restaurant Association Education Foundation, an organization Larry proudly served and deeply believed in. https://bit.ly/TRFLarryForehandMemorialFund