Larry Edinger

Dates

Obituary

Larry Edinger, 76, of Plankinton, SD, died Thursday, January 4, 2024, at his home under hospice care. A visitation will be held Saturday, January 13, from 2-4:00 PM with a 3:30 PM prayer service at United Methodist Church in White Lake. Arrangements by Bittner Funeral Chapel.

Larry Richard Edinger was born March 13th, 1947, to parents Ivan and Elsie (Payne) Edinger in Plankinton, South Dakota. He attended school at Bell and Turner Country Schools and Plankinton Public School. Following the death of his father in 1959, Larry worked for local farmer John Anderson, feeding cattle and numerous farm work with a team of horses. After graduating from Plankinton High School, he moved to Kansas City, KS, where he worked out of Teamster Hall from May 1965 through December 1965. While Larry was in Kansas City, he lived with friends Ray and Jeanne Alderton who thought of and treated Larry like their own son.

In January of 1966, Larry moved to Omaha, NE where he attended the Universal Trade School for automotive mechanics.

While in Omaha he met the love of his life, Verna Leigh Lutz, and made her his wife on July 11, 1967. He spent the next 56 years loving her and their married life together.

Larry’s first job in Omaha was at the L&M paper company as a truck driver. Next, he went on to work loading and unloading boxcars for REA Express. He then started a career with Sears where he started as a delivery person and did this for the next 11 years. He then stayed with the company but in their security department for six years. During his time as security at Sears, Larry became a reserve deputy sheriff for Douglas County, NE. He served from 1983 until 1995. After leaving Sears he took a job as security officer at Methodist Hospital in Omaha and worked the next 28 years for them until his retirement on October 1st, 2013.

Larry, Verna, and QE retired to Larry’s hometown of Plankinton in October of 2013, where he remained until his death. He really enjoyed his retirement in his hometown, renewing old acquaintances, making new friends, and always spending time with his family.

Over his lifetime, Larry enjoyed fishing, ice fishing, riding his Harley, and zipping around town on his 4-wheeler. Larry took great pride in keeping his vehicles clean and always maintained. He was very good at having a meticulously organized garage as well!

Larry is survived by his wife, Verna; fur baby, Hannah; brother, Evan (Pennie) Edinger of Chamberlain, SD; sisters, Gloria (Ken) Hauser of Black Hawk, SD, and Marlene (Dan) Geiman of Plankinton, SD; brothers-in-law, Butch (Jane) Lutz of Rock Port, MO, Tom (Norma) Lutz of Holly Springs, NC, and Kelly (Dawn) of St. Libory, NE; as well as 16 loving nieces and nephews, 21 great nieces and nephews, and 4 great-great nieces and nephews, plus eight, Godson Shaun Skrondahl of Sioux Falls, SD, Hartford babies Todd (Janelle) Butler of N. Sioux City, SD and Becky (Bob) Paterson of Clive, IA.

Preceding him in death are his parents, a pre-term infant, grandparents William and Grace (Kenyon) Payne, Arthur and Sophia (Anderson) Edinger, and five fur babies.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to your charity of choice in Larry’s name.

Visitation(s)