Lawrence “Larry”

Wayne Shutes

Lawrence "Larry" Wayne Shutes, 80, passed away March 6, 2022, in Wichita Falls, TX after a brief illness.

He was born on February 5, 1942, in Adrian, Michigan to his parents, Walter Clair Shutes and Hazel Gertrude Guest. Larry was predeceased by his parents and his brother, Gary Shutes.

After losing his own father at the age of 7, Larry became resourceful and skilled with tools early on and was able to make anything from almost nothing. He designed furniture, created animal habitats, and reconfigured entire houses; at just 13 he added his house's first indoor bathroom on his own, from the excavation to the framing, from the plumbing to the wiring. There wasn't anything Larry couldn't build or repair.

Larry was a hard worker from the beginning, having his first paid job at age 6, delivering papers with his older brother. He earned 2 cents per week per subscriber. He was also very enterprising, buying bikes from other kids in the neighborhood, taking them apart, reassembling them, and painting them in his attic to resell. In junior high he worked at a plaque factory, setting type for the plates, a job requiring perfect spelling and an eye for symmetry and precision.

Larry was especially proud of his service in the Army, having been assigned to a position that required Top Secret clearance at just age 18. For the three years he was enlisted, he was stationed at max-security bases in Nevada and Texas, serving as a clerk in DASA- Defense Atomic Support Agency. Other hats he wore throughout his working years include pie delivery man, soldier, clerk, traditional draftsman, AutoCad draftsman, and lunchroom blackjack dealer.

The son of a teacher and an autodidact, Larry never lost his thirst for knowledge. He subscribed to several publications about national news, history, vintage cars, sweepstaking, geography, etc. He never missed a Nascar race, did all the daily puzzles in the newspaper, and worked at his hobby of "contesting" every single week day.

But his most treasured achievement was his relationship with his wife, Martha. They met at the wedding of his daughter and her son, and after some sneaking around behind their kids' backs like teenagers, they had their own wedding in 1997. Martha accepted his quirks, (like thinking a sort of strange gnome wall hanging is a great anniversary gift,) and Larry admired and adored her, calling her "Wonder Woman". Together they had lots of adventures, road tripping all over America and Canada, attending family events, and eating out every weekend. Coming from a tiny family, he appreciated her large and close family, with many loving tios, tias, siblings, cousins, grandkids, and great grandkids. Larry's devotion to Martha was unwavering and she was the motivation behind almost everything he did and every decision he made. She was the perfect calm to his storm and it can be said without a hint of doubt that the twenty three years they had together were the happiest and most content of his life.

Larry was a big man who leaves an even bigger void in the hearts of those who love him and he's going to be missed like crazy.

He is survived by wife Martha Shutes, Robert Shutes, Shelley and Zeke Bernal, Corina Guerrero, Tina Bernal, 11 grandchildren, 20 great grandchildren, and a host of friends and relatives.

His family is planning a private celebration of life at a later date. In lieu of memorials, the family suggests donations to Hospice of Wichita Falls or Interfaith Ministries of Wichita Falls.