Pastor Larry Duane Mead

Pastor Larry Mead, 75, of Gering, Nebraska, went home to be with his Lord February 27, 2012 at home. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, March 2nd, 2012 at Calvary Memorial Church with Pastor Gary Hashley officiating. Burial will follow at Westlawn Cemetery in Gering. Friends may visit Dugan-Kramer Funeral Chapel from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, March 1st. Larry’s family will be present from 6-8 p.m. Memorials may be sent to the family. He was born December 8, 1936 at McGregor, Minnesota to Frank and Emily (Jones) Mead. He graduated from high school in Bronson, Iowa in 1955. He then enlisted in the U.S. Army in the infantry and was stationed in Germany. Upon his return to the States, he married a girl he had met through his Uncle Bud and Aunt Elaine, Bonnie Lou Wilson. They were married July 27th, 1958. Larry went back in to the Army and eventually went to Flight School to pilot helicopters. He served one tour of duty in Vietnam in 1966. He received a Bronze Star, Vietnam Air Medals and numerous other awards. He was discharged August 1967, when he began to lose the sight in his right eye. He spent much of his adult life in lay ministry before entering full time ministry in 1979. He served at Gering Baptist Church until 1995 when he accepted a call to pastor Southgate Baptist Church in Christiansted, St Croix, U.S.V.I. He retired from ministry in 2002 due to health and moved back to Gering. He continued to serve at the church as Pastor to the elderly, Deacon, Social coordinator and anything else that needed to be done. He is survived by his wife Bonnie; sons, Mike (Laurel), David (Jennifer), Dennis (DeeDee) and James (Laura); grandchildren, Michael David, Katie, Brendan, Mariah, Michael DeVere, Madeline, Makayla, Shaylee, Maddy, Audree and Christopher; his sister, Marilyn (John) Holcomb; brother Jerry (Patricia); foster brother, Roy Ehrhardt, and numerous nieces and nephews and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother Merle.