Larry Ray Haar

Larry Ray Haar, age 87 of Aberdeen, SD went to his Heavenly Home on Monday, August 25, 2025, in Chesapeake, Virginia. He passed away peacefully surrounded by loving family, prayers, and songs of praise.
He is survived by his former wife, Gloria Jean Haar, and their six children: Anita Buechler (Wayne), Lisa Wipf (Paul), Patricia Sirofchuck (Andy), Myron Haar (Sue), Timothy Haar, and Amanda Streeter (Darwin). Larry and Gloria's son, Maurice Allen Haar (twin to Myron) passed eight days after birth. Larry had sixteen grandchildren, Stacey Peterson, Corey Peterson (Nicole) Shauna Rislov (Cory) Blaine Anderson (Deceased) Shaine Anderson (Helen), Adam Buechler (Janet), Shawne Anderson (Cory), Matthias Buechler (Emily), Zechariah Streeter (Brittany), Christopher Buechler, MyLee Radke (Andrew) Nathanial Streeter (Brita), Rebecca Elder (Sam), Rachel Buechler, Joshua Streeter (Helen), Josiah Sirofchuck (Jadyn). He was blessed with forty-one great-grandchildren and eleven great- great grandchildren. Larry is also survived by his treasured twin sister, Darlene Marcuson (Ken, deceased) and beloved baby sister, Marcella Walz (Quentin) He was predeceased by his godly father, Raymond Haar and loving mother, Helen Haar, his faithful sister, Genevieve Weber (Harold) and only brother whom he adored, Lester Haar (Joyce). Larry's grandson, Blaine Anderson (twin to Shaine) died as an infant. (Parents: Lisa Haar Wipf and Richard P Anderson, who remained a dear friend to Larry.)
Larry was quite athletic, incredibly strong, and amazingly fast on his feet. He joined the Bowdle High School football team in 7th and 8th grade. The coach came to his dad, Raymond Haar & asked if Larry could join the football team. His dad said, "Nope, I need him here to help with my trucking business." So, Larry began trucking at the age of 13 in 1951 with his father for Haar & Sons Trucking out of Bowdle, SD. One of his first trucking adventures alone was with a load of cattle out to Sturgis, SD. This was long before interstates and guardrails. Every farmer, sales barn owner and grain elevator business soon came to know that Larry had incredible skills with those eighteen wheelers. He could back that 18-wheeler up with one attempt straight and square back to the livestock chute. During his 70-year trucking career, he drove an estimated eleven to twelve million miles locally and nationwide. He hauled livestock, grain, hay, corn, potatoes, onions, fertilizer, and chunk coal. In his later years he worked for local farmers during harvest time and had the new experience of driving a set of doubles.
On October 31, 1973, Larry was trucking with his wife, Gloria Jean Haar. They had just unloaded livestock and were heading back home when a group of pheasant hunters pulled out in front of him. To save their lives he swerved into the ditch and hit an approach. In the process he became trapped in the cab with diesel fuel spraying on him and the engine running. He remained in the truck with a fractured femur. A Bible had fallen out of their cab, and it fell between the door and Larry's leg helping to save it. While there he prayed that God would spare his life for his wife and children. He underwent a two-month hospitalization and was subsequently discharged, allowing him to surprisingly reunite with his family at the Christmas Eve Service.
Larry's favorite story to tell everyone was about the number of twins in his family. Larry was a twin himself to Darlene Marcuson. There were six sets of twins born in three generations and he LOVED to tell that story!
Larry loved singing the old-time church hymns, reading his Bible, telling family heritage stories, and looking at old pictures. He had a great love for children, and they always brought an extra twinkle to his eyes. He often financially supported orphanages and gave support to his grandchildren for mission trips. He was so proud of his grandchildren and in recent years found great delight in all his great grandchildren. We should always remember that Larry was an avid angler! He loved fishing (for days) on the Missouri River with his sons, family, and friends. He enjoyed eating all those great German foods and boasted that Gloria's fried potatoes and onions were the best he had ever tasted!
In his final days, his faith was strong; his spirit spoke and sang the words of the Lord without ceasing. He never missed an opportunity to share God's love and word to all he met in his final weeks of life. He prayed for complete strangers and held their hands while speaking words of wisdom, comfort and blessing even though his body was weak. He left an example for us to follow that to live is Christ and to die is gain. We will miss him terribly but are confident he now rejoices with his parents, sister, brother, son and grandson in heaven.
A visitation and prayer service are scheduled to take place on Thursday, September 4, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Spitzer Miller Funeral Home in Aberdeen. A Celebration of Life Service with live stream from the funeral home website will take place on Friday, September 5th at 12 noon at Spitzer Miller Funeral Home Chapel, with interment to follow at Bowdle City Cemetery.
Larry's sons, Myron and Timothy Haar, will each drive an 18-wheeler to lead his final procession to Bowdle City Cemetery in his honor. The family welcomes your presence as they celebrate the life of their treasured father, Larry Ray Haar.