Lawrence S. Boots

1933 - 2015

Following a long illness, Lawrence "Larry" Sherman Boots dropped off the twig on April 14, 2015, with his family at his bedside. There will be a visitation and gathering of family and friends at 4 p.m. on Friday, April 24, 2015, at Janssen's Evergreen Memorial Chapel, 737 E Street in Anchorage, Alaska. A funeral Mass will be celebrated by Father Leo Walsh at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 25, 2015, at St. Benedict's Catholic Church, 8110 Jewel Lake Rd. in Anchorage. Larry was born on Nov. 11, 1933, in Aurora, Ill., the first son of David and Ruth Boots. While he was still in junior high, the family moved to Lincoln, Neb., where, in 1951, he graduated from Lincoln High School and then began his long career with State Farm Insurance Company. The following year, he married his high school sweetheart, June, and between 1954 and 1965 they had nine children together. In 1955, beginning his migration to the North, Larry established his first State Farm agency in Union Grove, Wis. He joined the U.S. Naval Reserve, as a meteorologist and also served St. John's Catholic Church, driving the school bus for the Parish school. In 1960, State Farm decided to open its first agency in Alaska. Improbably, at age 26, Larry raised his hand when the call for volunteers went out, taking his five children and young wife (expecting the sixth child) the following year on a journey that would change all of their lives forever. It's hard to imagine the courage it took to make that move many thousands of miles away in those days when Anchorage had 35,000 residents and more dirt streets than paved. There were risks aplenty, but he was irresistibly drawn to the hunting, fishing and pure romance of life in The Great Land. He became a lifetime member of the State Farm President's Club, leading the country in sales for many years and was a member of the Jaycees and Elks. In 1983, Larry married his second wife, Mary Pat. They enjoyed traveling, spending time in Hawaii, and visiting England, Scotland, Ireland, New Zealand, Greece, and Germany. They spent winters at their home in Sun Lakes, Ariz., enjoying sunshine, warmth and the company of many good friends. In the spring of 2014, they returned to live year round near family in Anchorage. Larry enjoyed hunting, fishing, golf, reading history and keeping a summer garden. He led his family on many camping adventures throughout Alaska, and in the mid-'70s, he bought property at Kenai River Keys. It became his favorite fishing hole and he could be found there nearly any weekend during summer. Larry was preceded in death by his brother, James; his parents; his son, Glenn; and his first wife, June. He is survived by his wife, Mary Pat; his sons and daughters-in-law, Michael (Lynn), Patrick, Mark, Daniel, Thomas (Colleen), Richard (Suzanne) and Edward; his daughter, Mary Elizabeth; his step-children, M. Therese O'Neill (Ed), Joseph Hendricks and Meganne Hendricks (Franklin Ellenson); his grandchildren, Joshua (Clarissa), Kevin (Michelle), Thomas, David and Jack Boots and Marcey (Daniel) Waugh; as well as many great-grandchildren. The family suggests memorial donations may be made to Downtown Soup Kitchen, 240 E 3rd Ave., Anchorage, AK 99501.