Larry Allen Van Meter

Larry Allen Van Meter, 66, of Gallipolis, passed away on Monday, January 15, 2007 at the Holzer Medical Center. He was born on September 20, 1940 in West Columbia, WV to the late Lawrence Alfred and Geraldine Foreman Van Meter. Larry was married to Sylvia Hill and she survives him. He joined the Navy at 17 years of age in 1957, where he served 20 years as a navigator on diesel and nuclear submarines. Larry retired as a Chief Petty Officer. He also taught at the University of Texas at the Austin Naval ROTC Unit for 4 years. He was a Corrections Officer for 7 years at Lancaster, Ohio and retired from the State of Ohio as a Stationary Engineer for 10 years at Gallipolis Developmental Center. Larry is a member of the Lighthouse Assembly of God in Gallipolis, where he served as an usher, reader and a member of the local Gideon Camp. He was a life member of DAV and VFW. Larry loved hunting, fishing, bird watching and nature, conversation, his dogs, his family, his church and story telling. Surviving is his wife of 18 years, Sylvia Van Meter of Gallipolis; a daughter, Lea Anne Jeff Kylberg of Georgetown, Texas; three sons, Larry Allen Kara Van Meter, Jr. of York, Nebraska, James Lane Dena Van Meter of Maui, Hawaii, and Jeffrey Lance Van Meter of Elgin, Texas; stepsons Gary Lisa Day of Plainwell, Michigan, David Day of LeHigh, Florida, John Chris Day of Vincennes, Indiana and Jim Tina Day of LeHigh, Florida; eleven grandchildren and ten great grandchildren; a sister, Louise Jack Chambers of Rio Grande; a nephew, Harley Neal of Rio Grande and a niece, Diana Michael Salser of Racine. Services will be 1 p.m., Friday, January 19, 2007 at the Willis Funeral Home with Pastor Alex Colon and Pastor Bill Sheplar officiating. Burial will follow in Ohio Valley Memory Gardens. Friends may call at the funeral home on Thursday, January 18, 2007 from 6-8 p.m. There will be full military services at the graveside by volunteers of local veteran’s lodges. Pallbearers will be Harley Neal, Doug Blair, Jim Day, Gary Day, David Day, John Day, Larry Allen Van Meter Jr. Honorary pallbearers will be Jack Chambers and Jeffrey L. Van Meter. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations in Larry’s memory to Lighthouse Assembly of God, P.O. Box 793, Gallipolis, OH 45631. Willis Funeral Home Gallipolis OH US Cemetery: 2007-01-19 Ohio Valley Memory Gardens Gallipolis OH US Visitation: 2007-01-18 18:00:00-20:00:00 Willis Funeral Home Gallipolis OH US Service: 2007-01-19 13:00:00 Willis Funeral Home Gallipolis OH US