Larry Michael Hesser

Larry Michael Hesser was born on April 17, 1943 and grew up in Crawfordsville, Indiana with parents Harold "Mike" Hesser and Agnes Hesser and siblings John Hesser, Connie Semple, and Mark Hesser.

Larry graduated from Crawfordsville High School in 1961 where he played football and basketball and earned a slot on the All-American team his senior year as an offensive guard. After a brief time playing at Memphis State, Larry joined the United States Air Force where he was primarily stationed at Beale Air Force Base.

Life led Larry to Georgia where he interviewed and 3 days later was a patrolman with a badge and gun as he started his 54-year law enforcement career on January 5,1967 for Dougherty County, Georgia (1967-1970). Sometime in that year he saw a beautiful woman driving with a broken taillight, so, being a diligent cop, he did his job and met the love of his life, his wife of 57 years, Sharon Anne Sawyer Hesser. Over the next 9 years, Larry and Sharon were married, had their first son, Michael Andrew "Andy" Hesser. Larry attended night school at the local women's college to earn his degree in Criminal Justice, all while working double shifts because he was afraid of missing any action. He helped start the City of Lakewood, CO Police Department (1970-1972), became a homicide detective in Albany, Georgia (1972-1976) then found his first Police Chief job in Forsyth, Georgia (1976-1979).

In 1978 he graduated from the FBI National Academy as a Sectional Representative.

In 1979 the Hesser family welcomed their second son, Matthew Hesser, as Larry started as Chief in Hendersonville, NC (1979-1987). The adventure led the family to Longmont, CO where Larry was Director of Police from 1987-1992 and where he instilled a love of the outdoors for the whole family. Every weekend, when Larry wasn't attending Matt's football games, he was with his sons in the mountains hunting, fishing, hiking, and camping. From 1994 to 2000, Larry was Chief in Georgetown, Texas, where Larry had the honor of working together with his two sons for the City of Georgetown. Andy as the Parks Manager and Matt as the Aquatics Supervisor. Shortly after Larry's 1st retirement, Larry was hired as Police Chief of White Settlement, Texas in 2004 where he served until 2006.

Larry's passion was developing leaders, specifically in the Policing Profession. In 1999 Larry attended the West Point Academy Leadership Institute in preparation to co-author the "Leadership in Police Organizations" course for the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Larry then spent the next 22 years as an instructor determined to positively impact policing, only stopping when the ALS took hold. One of his coolest adventures was being invited by the President of Panama to teach the Panamanian National Police, Policing Leadership from a Christian perspective. This joined his two passions and was an incredible experience. From what we can tell from the patches and challenge coins he received, Larry worked with at least 132 agencies over the years including local, state, and federal.

Larry's most meaningful effort, however, would be all the people in his life that he led to God or helped them along their path with God.

Larry Hesser was a man that loved his family and God, appreciated the crispness and skill of an honor ceremony, could hold his own in a dangerous situation, found joy in the growth and success of others, and gave of himself any chance he had. Larry was the most generous man his family knew. Larry and Sharon raised their sons to know that they had a responsibility to protect and do for others. They had a responsibility to make where they were better than when they arrived. When teaching, people would push him to increase his rates and earn more money. He used to say, "the knowledge is free; they just need to get me there." He had a way of hitting you in the soul and challenging not only who you were, but the choices you would make in the future to become who God intended you to be.

Larry is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Sharon Anne Sawyer Hesser, his eldest son Michael Andrew "Andy" Hesser and his wife Tifani Edwards Hesser and their children, Madison, Andrew, and Finn and his youngest son Matthew Byron Hesser and his wife Shana Steeves Hesser and their children Harper and Savannah.

Family Preceded in Death: Father: Harold M. Hesser "Mike"; Mother: Agnes Frae Hesser Worley; Stepfather: Rex D. Worley; Brother: Harold Mark Hesser "Mark"; Stepbrother: Sam Worley. Surviving Family: Brother: John Martin Hesser; Sister: Constance L. Hesser Semple "Connie"; Stepsister: Pam Worley Broady.

Service Schedule:

Visitation: Friday, September 12, 2025

Visiting hours will be at Rest Haven Funeral Home in Rockwall, Texas from 5-7pm.

Memorial Service: Saturday, September 13, 2025

Memorial Service is at Christ Church Rockwall in Rockwall, TX at 12 noon.

Committal: The burial will follow the Memorial Service at Rest Haven Funeral Home and Cemetery, approximately 2pm.

Rest Haven Funeral Home and Cemetery

2500 TX-66, Rockwall, TX 75087

Christ Church Rockwall

701 Kensington Dr, Rockwall, TX 75032

Drive time between church and cemetery, 15 minutes.

In place of flowers, the family urges people to donate to the Widow and Victims Fund at their local Police Department because Larry regularly donated back to the departments that hired him.