GUTHRIE — Lawrence Dale “Larry” Rush, longtime resident of King County, passed away on Wednesday, February 16, 2022.
Larry was born on December 8, 1943 in Portales, New Mexico to Leo Dale and Darene Barnes Rush. Larry was raised on one of the farms in King County that the family still owns today. He began his schooling at Grow, Texas, and he graduated Guthrie High School in 1961.
He married Linda Havins on April 16, 1963, and they moved to the Finney community in King County in September of 1963. Larry and Linda raised their two sons on their farm in Finney, where Larry retired after 50 years of cotton farming. In his spare time and upon retirement Larry could be found sitting around spinning tales of his childhood, arguing politics, playing with the grands, or watching the wildlife across in the fields in his backyard. He loved and was loved by his family and will be dearly missed.
Larry was an avid fan of six-man football and never stopped being a Guthrie Jaguar. While his sons played six-man football he never missed a game. Once his sons graduated high school, Larry spent many years on the sidelines running the chains at all the home games for the Guthrie Jaguars, a job he took seriously and loved dearly!
Larry was a civic-minded man. He was very active in the community, being a member of the King County Lions Club, and serving on the Guthrie school board and as an Adult 4-H leader, coaching the trap shooting team for many years. In later years, he served as a King County commissioner and served on the King County historical commission. He also served as a director for the King County Water Conservation Board for 41 years.
Larry was preceded in death by his father, Leo Dale Rush, his stepfather, Merrick Gibson, his mother, Darene Gibson, his brother Steve Gibson, and his youngest son, Lee Rush.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Linda Rush; brother Craig Gibson and wife, Lori, of Columbus, Ohio; son Dale Rush and wife, Juli,e of Seymour, Texas; daughter-in-law Debbie Rush of Pittsburg, Texas; five grandchildren, Kendra Leal and husband, Tony, of Lubbock, Texas; Tanna Anderson and husband, Lane, of Burkburnett, Texas; Hunter Rush and wife, Rachel, of Dorena, Oregon; Michele Strube and husband, Brad, of Pittsburg, Texas; and Jennifer Honeycutt of Pittsburg, Texas. Great-grandchildren include Myles Leal; Stetson and Steele Rush; Aidan, Aumiell and Jareth Strube; Cameron Honeycutt; and Reiko Linwood.
Visitation will be on Saturday, March 5, from 9:30 until 11:00 a.m. at the Guthrie Activity Center. Graveside services will follow on Saturday, March 5 at 11:30 a.m. at the Guthrie Cemetery with Chris McCauley officiating under the direction of Archer Funeral Home, Seymour, Texas.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made in Larry’s name to the King County Soil and Water Conservation Scholarship Fund, P. O. Box 45, Guthrie, Texas 79236.