Larry was born the second of four children to Merle and Carol (Berlett) Haag in Fairbury, IL, on June 30, 1941. He graduated from Cullom High School in 1959 and he married Betty Lou Ellinger on August 24, 1969, at the Charlotte United Methodist River Church.
Larry farmed the family farm near Cullom for 30 years and always had additional jobs to provide for his family. He worked for Standard Oil Company both at the Cullom Fertilizer Plant and then as a bulk distributor of petroleum products. He owned and operated his own trucking business, hauling grain and working road construction in the off season. Larry and Betty moved from the family farm to the ‘big city’ of Bloomington in 1999 where he took a job with the State of Illinois Highway Department. He made many friends there and gained the nickname “Happy “because he was always smiling. After retiring in 2011, the Haag’s loved spending winters at their home in Apache Junction, AZ. Larry enjoyed many of the activities at their resort and made many lasting friendships.
He loved his girls more than life itself and truly enjoyed every minute with his grandchildren. He loved going to his kids’ events and then later on, his grandkids’ events – rarely missing. He sometimes travelled hundreds of miles to watch their ball games. He especially loved camping, boating, and taking vacations with the whole family, always finding time for a nap. He was an active member of Morningstar United Methodist Church, helping with the annual Pumpkin Patch and managing the lawn maintenance for many years. He loved his Chicago Cubs and remained an avid fan even when it wasn’t easy. One of his most cherished moments was attending Game 4 of the 2016 World Series.
Larry is survived by his wife of 53 years, Betty; 3 daughters, Kim (Joe) Kao, Kandi (Mike) Schneider, and Shannon (Troy) Meier; 8 grandchildren, Lauren (Zach) Schrad, Morgan Kao, Jordan Kao, John Michael (Abbey) Schneider, Rhett Schneider, Trevor Meier, Jayce Meier, Derek Meier; great-grandchildren, Marin Schrad, little Levi Schrad, expected in June; 2 sisters, Carol Lynn (Ron) Baker, Susan Haag; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Merle and Carol Haag; sister, Sharon Wittenberg; and brother-in-law, Ralph Wittenberg.
The family would like to thank all of the medical staff and caregivers who cared for Larry both at home and in the hospital during the past few months. With your help, we were able to bring him home and make him comfortable in his final days.
Visitation will be held on Monday, March 6, 2023 from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. at East Lawn Funeral Home, Bloomington. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at East Lawn Funeral Home, Bloomington. A small graveside service and burial will be held on Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at 2:00 p.m. at West Lawn Cemetery in Cullom, IL.
Memorial contributions may be made in Larry’s name to Morningstar United Methodist Church, Normal, Parkinson’s Foundation, or the Alzheimer’s Association.
Condolences and memories may be left with the family at eastlawnmemorial.com
