Larry A. Wilson

January 10, 1946-

January 14, 2020

After 51 years of loving our mother, our beloved father, Larry A. Wilson, went home to be with the Lord Tuesday, January 14, 2020, at the age of 74.

Dad was born in Council, Idaho to Lawrence and Marcella Wilson on January 10, 1946. He was raised in Touchet, Washington, in his early years and then his dad's job, as a school superintendent, moved the family to Asotin, Wash., from grade school through high school, where he graduated in 1964. He met his lifelong sweetheart, C. Christine Ausman, when he was a senior, and she was a freshman at Asotin High School. They dated while she finished high school and he attended college at Washington State University, majoring in Agricultural Education. Dad joined FFA while in high school and loved it so much that he decided to become an Agricultural teacher and FFA Advisor. Mom and Dad were married April 6, 1968. They raised three children in Pomeroy.

His first teaching job was in Arlington, Wash., where he taught for three years. He made many meaningful friendships and was blessed with two daughters during this time. After finishing school in 1972, he learned that the Ag teaching job was open in Pomeroy, and as it was closer to family, he decided to apply and move the family over the mountains. He was blessed with a son while living in Pomeroy. He taught in Pomeroy and served as the FFA Advisor for the Pomeroy "kids" for 27 years retiring in 1999. After his retirement, he served as the Executive Secretary of the State Ag Teacher's Association where he organized conferences for Washington State Ag Teachers and was able to do some traveling with them creating many wonderful memories.

Through the years of raising his three kids, dad enjoyed snow and water skiing with them on the weekends. During the summer, you would find him driving a boat on the Snake River by Central Ferry pulling any kid who wanted to come for the day on knee boards or water skis. In the winter, you would find him on one of the nearby mountains skiing with his family or his extended family of FFA kids.

He also organized week-long camping trips to Loon Lake and attended every State and many National FFA conventions with his students. Dad ran the Beef Barn at the Spokane Jr. Livestock show and the FFA side of showing at the Garfield County Fair and Spring Preview. He loved giving his students the opportunity to work hard and perform to the best of their ability and was always happy to step back and let them shine.

Later in life after his 12 grandchildren got older, he enjoyed traveling with their families to Disneyland, the Oregon Coast and Hawaii as well as visiting many other fun locations with family friends, the Bartels, Loaders and Kelly's.

Dad was preceded in death by his parents, Lawrence and Marcella Wilson; and his in-laws, Dean and Charlotte Ausman.

Dad loved his friends and family fiercely and unconditionally and leaves many loving memories to be cherished by his wife and three children and their spouses, Rick and Cari Fisher of Spokane, Michael and Nicole Denny of Prosser, Wash., and Dean and Ellen Wilson of Spokane; his sisters, Marlene Snyder of Julietta and Lorene Ellis of Clarkston. In addition, "Hoppa" leaves behind 12 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, along with many nieces and nephews and their families.

Special thanks to Avalon Residential Progressive Care and Carol and her team of caregivers for the care dad received while he was living there.

A celebration of dad's life will take place at the Christian Church in Pomeroy, 310 Eighth St., Pomeroy on February 1 at 12:30 p.m. Please bring your FFA Jacket whether you wear it or place it on the back of your chair.

The family asks in lieu of flowers, that donations be made in Larry's memory to the Pomeroy FFA Alumni, Larry Wilson Memorial, Attn: Laura Dixon, P.O. Box 186, Pomeroy, WA 99347 or to the Washington State FFA Foundation, Attn: Jesse Taylor, 13211 109th Ave. Ct. E., Puyallup, WA 97374.