Bryan Paul Larson

Bryan Paul Larson, age 56, of Springfield, Missouri, passed away on November 13, 2024, at his home in Springfield, MO. Bryan was born to Larry Larson and Corine Larson on November 21, 1967 in Wichita, KS.
Bryan was preceded in death by his brother Brad, maternal grandparents Leo and Velma Drouhard, paternal grandmother Katie Thompson as well as numerous aunts and uncles.
He is survived by his parents Larry and Corine Larson; daughter Laikin Larson; sister Gina Ellerbee; nieces and nephews Jordan Larson, Josh Ellerbee, Jack Ellerbee, Jameson Ellerbee, Jaiden Ellerbee, and Juno Ellerbee.
A Memorial Mass for Bryan will be held on Monday, November 25, 2024 at 10:00 am at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Springfield, MO. Graveside interment will occur at a later date in Fairview Cemetery, Danville, KS.
Bryan entered this world large and in charge, screaming endlessly at the ugly pink house where he first lived in Argonia, KS. He was welcomed by older brother Brad who he looked up to and admired endlessly. His almost white, blond hair, ruddy red skin and muscular stocky build made him stand out, but his laugh and smile were what hooked you. Growing up, Bryan excelled at every sport he tried. He was a natural born leader and had many friends growing up. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping, being at the lake, and just about any activity outside.
After the tragic death of brother Brad in 1981, Bryan and his family relocated to Missouri. Bryan and his sister Gina would spend hours in the woods on their three-wheelers making pathways in the woods and re-imagining an old deer stand as a secret fort where he built her a zip line and indulged her fantasy of being in a hidden forest that was only known to the two of them. They enjoyed all things related to water – swimming, boating, and waterskiing. He was always very protective of his little sister and remained that way throughout his life.
His greatest accomplishment and the most important thing in his life was his daughter Laikin. Once asked why she was named Laikin, he said "Well, we like to go to the lake 'n ski, we like to go to the lake 'n fish, so it seems like the perfect name for the perfect baby." Bryan recently pulled out a shoebox of pictures and was telling stories about each one. Every picture had one thing in common – his daughter was the primary feature. Bryan lovingly called Laikin "Hotrod" when she was a baby and would laugh any time we brought that up. His love for his daughter was evident in how he talked about her. He was beyond proud of her accomplishments and the adult she grew up to be.
Bryan had many opportunities to work in construction as a young adult. He was always working on a project of some kind. He was very industrious and willing to work hard while his body allowed it.
He later joined the Greene County Sheriff's Department as a corrections officer, where he eventually rose to the level of Sergeant and worked for close to twenty years. He made many lifelong friends while working there.
He was perhaps best known for sporting a long blond mullet most of his life. Bryan was a simple yet very complicated man. He would give the shirt off his own back to help someone else, often to the neglect of his own self. He often would put aside his own needs if it meant helping another person. He never met a stranger and could strike up a conversation with anyone. Bryan loved animals, especially dogs. His long-time companion was a dog named Fidget who accompanied him on many adventures. Bryan had trained the birds and squirrels to come to his deck to beg for food and could train just about any animal to do anything he wanted.
He would probably kick this writer's ass for saying this, but even though Bryan appeared to be rough and tough on the outside, on the inside, he was kind-hearted and soft. Perhaps he experienced the ups and downs of life on a deeper level which led to his need to numb those feelings with a lifetime of substance abuse. He tried many times to conquer this illness and had in the past few years been able to control it. It was a difficult road but he wanted to improve his life, and so he did.
Bryan was able to reconcile a lot of his relationships during his last stage of life. He was sentimental about all things in the past and spent a lot of his time refinishing family heirlooms and collecting antiques from bygone times. He wouldn't hesitate to throw away something new but held on to all things old. He loved to tell stories about the "good ole days."
Bryan had a very special relationship with his mother, Corine. He went out of his way to call, text, or visit her daily. He would often sneak her sweets that he knew she would devour immediately. He was a loving and loyal son. This love was reciprocated; his mother thought the sun rose and set on Bryan. Their relationship was very special. Bryan also grew close to his father, Larry, over the past few years. They enjoyed playing chess and watching football. Larry was instrumental in helping Bryan recover and deal with his illness. Bryan and his sister were able to spend a lot more time together over the past several months, which usually culminated in fits of laughter about one thing or another. He had a sly grin and roll of the eyes which usually told exactly what he was thinking. If his mouth didn't say what he was thinking, his face surely would.
Most impressive was how Bryan handled the news that he had cancer. He accepted his terminal diagnosis with a brave face and rarely complained even though he was miserable. He endured treatments and tests and painful procedures, wanting to do whatever he could to have as much time left with his family as possible. At his last appointment two days before his death, his doctor told him they would have to put his chemo on hold as it might kill him in his given state. Bryan retorted "well, let's not do that." He did his best to make friends with the nurses and staff who took care of him, trying to make them laugh and "joke around."
In his own words, you could say he was "good people." He will be missed by anyone who knew him.
Special thank you to his special lifelong friends, Marty May, Richard Horst, and Greg Kollmeyer. Your friendship meant the world to him.
Additional special thanks to his Oncologist Dr. Bande, his nurse Haidan, and all of the nursing staff at the CoxHealth Outpatient Oncology clinic who provided such excellent, compassionate care. We will never forget you.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to, PO Box 3008 Springfield, MO, 65808, an organization that would have made such a difference all those years ago. Your donations can help families recover from loss and experience grief in a healthy way.
Rest in Peace, our Peter Pan.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Greenlawn Funeral Home East.