Larry Gale Waller

Larry Gale Waller, 78, entered into rest on April 2, 2023.

Mr. Waller was born Jan. 13, 1945 to Ernest and Florence (Fillinger) Waller in Stromsburg, Nebraska. Larry graduated from Shelby High School. He attended school in Stromsburg until his mother and family moved from the farm to Shelby in his sophomore year. Larry was gifted in basketball but most notably track, where he held the Shelby High School record in high hurdles for 10 years.

Referred to by his family as the Good Samaritan (his favorite Bible parable), he always had time and empathy for the stranger and ones in need. This was evident in his devotion and supervising the “Operation Deep Freeze” homeless program at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Parish for 10 years. For this he was honored as Knight of the Year by the Knights of Columbus in 1998.

Larry was an adventurous man his entire life. He always said one of the highlights of that was walking the 500-mile Camino de Santiago in Northern Spain with his daughter, Suzanne, in 2015 at the age of 70, and to return with his wife, Deanna, in 2018 to relive the pilgrimage by train.

In 1974 his adventures took him and his family to Alaska where he worked and partnered in the seafood business for 20 years. His inventive skills were in full review as he inked and built the first tunnel blast refrigeration system in the seafood processing business, later observed and used by most processors.  After 20 years in the seafood business, he turned his interest to work in the “Gem and Mineral Show” in Tucson, Arizona. He used his skills once again to contribute to the development and growth of the operation of these shows.

Larry’s passion and love for cars was how he spent his spare time. Building drag race cars and driven by his son John. He later renovated classic cars. His favorites were his 1941 Willies Coupe and 1954 Chevy Pickup.

In 2019, daughter Christine headed back to the Tucson Desert.  He told her he would need the ultimate distraction to keep him busy during his cancer treatments. At the request of her Dad, bought a fixer upper home two streets over. Larry was often known to walk over with a cup of coffee to the project house. Christine cared and supported her family to the best of her ability to the very last moment. He went on from that to build countless beautiful birdhouses, a wonderful, raised garden bed and never stopped helping friends and family with a project.

Larry is proceeded in death by his parents, Ernest and Florence Waller; his in-laws, Hubert and Naomi Thelen; brother-in-law, Ben Thelen and Martin Rathje; an infant brother; and many other family members. He leaves his loving wife of 59 years, Deanna; daughters, Christine of Tucson and Suzanne (John) Shoberg of Kings Beach/Lake Tahoe California; son, John (Cindy) of Tucson; grandsons, Isaac and Seth Waller of Tucson; and granddaughter, Sarah Shoberg of San Francisco; sister, Avis Rathje of Shelby, Nebraska; brothers, Gary (Jean), Willis (Lana) and Ellis Waller all of Stromsburg, Nebraska; brothers-in-law, Jerry (Carol) Thelen of Columbus, Nebraska, George (Cindy) Thelen of Shelby, Nebraska; sister-in-law, Gaylene Thelen of Gilbert, Arizona; cousins, nieces, nephews and many dear friends. All will cherish their memories.

The family thanks Casa de la Luz Hospice for such wonderful and compassionate care. Also special thanks to his oncologist of 5 years, Dr. H. Ahmad and his staff.

A memorial mass is at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Tucson, Arizona on Thursday, April 13 at 11 a.m.

Graveside Service is at Thelen (Union) Cemetery, 12760 U Rd. Shelby, Nebraska, on June 25 at 11 a.m.

A Celebration of Life Open House will be at the “American Legion” in Shelby, Nebraska on June 25.

Remembrances in lieu of flowers, donate to Cancer Research or Plant a Tree.  

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