Larry Duane Story

November 5, 1952 - March 1, 2023

Larry Duane Story, known to his grandkids as “Papa”, from Beggs, was 70 years old when he passed away March 1, 2023, at St. John’s Hospital in Tulsa.

Larry’s passion for gardening began when he was a young man and has flourished ever since. Known throughout Oklahoma for his green thumb, Larry loved to share his harvest with family and friends. Many looked forward to his vegetables, especially his tomatoes, each year, and he was eager to provide. He was a man of many pranks, great integrity, immense character, and forever devoted to his family.

Born on Nov. 5, 1952, in Clovis, California, to Charles E. and Betty M (Dawson) Story. Larry graduated from Glenpool High School in 1971. After graduation Larry attended Tulsa Welding School and then began his lifelong welding career in various capacities.

On Aug. 1, 1974, Larry Duane Story married the love of his life, Patricia (Trish) Gail Shelton at the First Baptist Church of Beggs, and after their wedding the new couple made the Beggs area their home. Larry and Trish met in June of 1973 at a street dance in downtown Okmulgee. Quick thinking Trish pretended that she couldn’t parallel park and asked Larry if he would help her out. Larry was eager to assist with his parking skills and the rest was history.

In 1978, they started their family and were blessed with their first daughter Lisa Gail and their second daughter Dana Michelle in 1981. The new family loved to work together in the garden, camp at the lake and fish.

Larry was proud of his career and was a dedicated welder and fabricator for 50 years, before retiring in 2018. He took great pride in doing his job with high standards and produced nothing less than exact, precise projects. Larry was skilled in tig, mig, and pipeline welding and was able to layout, draw and fabricate even the most complex projects.

Larry’s famous words were, “all you need are strings and squares,” when doing layout for fabrication. He was a proud member of the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 430 Union for 45 years.

Larry’s favorite hobbies included hunting, fishing and gardening. Larry prided himself on perfection in everything he did. His hunting equipment was always neatly stored, cleaned and in perfect order. He loved to have a place for everything and everything in its place, even in his garden. His garden had perfectly placed rows and was planted with the utmost care. The garden was more than just a hobby to Larry; it was his way to show love to his friends and family by giving away bushels and bushels of his hard work in the form of the most tasteful vegetables. If there was anything Larry loved more that being outdoors, it was his family. He was extremely proud of his daughters and their families. Without fail Larry would be found cheering on his granddaughters, Sophie and Sadie, at a pig show or rooting for his grandsons, Jobe and Brodie, at a baseball game. Friends and family knew that Larry could always be counted on to drop whatever he was doing to help them. He was trustworthy, dependable and loyal. Larry was a fierce loving Papa and was fiercely loved by his family. Larry cherished his relationship with his Lord and Savior, where he was a member of the Nuyaka Baptist Church in Nuyaka, Oklahoma.

Larry is preceded in death by his father, Charles E. Story and his father in law Paul H. Shelton. He is survived by his beloved wife Trish of 48 years, his mother Betty M. Story of Okmulgee, his mother in law Norma Shelton, of Beggs, his daughter Lisa Varner and husband Pokey, of Bristow and his daughter Dana Atwell, of Bristow. He is blessed with four grandchildren, Sophie Varner, Sadie Varner, Jobe Atwell and Brodie Atwell, all of Bristow.

He is also survived by his twin brother Gary Story and wife Cheryl Ann, of Natura and his younger brother Donny Story and wife Cheryl, of Fayetteville, Arkansas. He was deeply loved and will be greatly missed by his entire family and a host of friends.

Viewing was held from 1 to 6 p.m., Sunday, March 5, 2023, at the McClendon-Winters Funeral Home Chapel in Beggs. Funeral services were held 10 a.m., Monday, March 6, 2023 at Crossroads Baptist Church in Beggs with Pastor Chad Eads officiating. Interment immediately followed at the Beggs Cemetery.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the McClendon-Winters Funeral Home of Beggs. Memories, condolences, photos and videos may be shared with the family on Larry ’s Tribute Page of our website at www.mcclendonwinters.

com.