Larry Dale Flanary

In the presence of his wife and daughters, Larry Dale "Big Paw" Flanary surrendered to his 25-year battle with Parkinson's Disease on Tuesday, March 19 in Fenton, Michigan. He was born on May 27, 1957 in Harlan County, Kentucky.
Larry is survived by his beautiful wife of 45 years, Lorraine; daughters Rebecca (Jared) Carpenter, Elizabeth (Michael) Cieszkowski, and Suzanne (Chet) Miller; and grandchildren Sophia and Brady Carpenter, and Christina, Grace, and Isaac Cieszkowski. Larry is also survived by his brother Garry (Carrie Pung) Flanary. Larry is predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Betty (Fee) Flanary as well as his brother, Walter Fee.
A 1975 graduate of Southgate High School, Larry married his first love, Lorrie, in May of 1978. A hardworking, American man, Larry spent time cleaning up onions at Carter's Restaurant, welding at Gar Industries, traveling for sales with Pyles, and riding for the Livingston County Sheriff's posse all before the mid-80s when he founded a specialty crate manufacturing company, R & E Enterprises, in Howell. For several years, he operated his business while building the empire his family came to call Larryland. He built a fence around his family, farmland, beef cattle, herd of tractors, trucks and trailers, many horses and always a dog. From his hill, he loved his wife, daughters, and grandchildren fiercely and tolerated his sons-in-law fondly.
Larry was known for his just nature, his moral compass, his accurate judge of character, his solid sense of humor, his intimidating sunglasses and crossed-arm stance, his two-tone mustache, filling salt shakers with sugar, and shot glasses with water. He cherished his multiple trips to trail ride through the Grand Teton Mountains and later in life, he embraced the Rock Steady Boxing community.
Aside from the legacy of his family, two of Larry's greatest accomplishments in life were the opening of Cohoctah Township Horse Park and serving as the Michigan Interscholastic Horsemanship Association (MIHA) President. Larry could make any 4-H kid or high school equestrian ride with the confidence of a champion and later, Papperoni's grandkids were blessed by that same spirit, too. Larry's greatest wish in life was for his wife to always know how much he cared for her and how deeply he loved her.
Larry always said he felt closest to God in the saddle or on his tractors. It is his family's conviction that he's now arrived where the grass grows lush green and stirrup-high and embraced by the Good Lord's gentle whisper, "Welcome Cowboy, your entry fees are paid."
Visitation will take place on Sunday, March 24, 2024 from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Watkins Brothers Funeral Home in Howell, Michigan. Funeral services will take place on Monday, March 25, 2024 at 11:00 am, followed by burial at Howell Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Larry's name to Michigan Parkinson Foundation or Rock Steady Boxing of Livingston County.