Lawrence L. Thede

1937 - 2025

Lawrence (Larry) L. Thede

May 7, 1937 - November 9, 2025

Lawrence "Larry" Lee Thede of Bloomington, IL, passed away on November 9, 2025, in Bloomington, IL.

Larry was born May 7, 1937, in Muscatine, Iowa, to LeRoy L. and Lorna H. (Coleman) Thede. He attended a one-room schoolhouse near Durant, IA, and graduated from Durant High School in 1954. While in high school, he met the love of his life, Elaine Wulf. They married in 1956 and began their life together on a small farm.

In 1962, Larry began working for the Muscatine County Farm Bureau. In 1970, he and his family moved to Bloomington, IL, where he joined the Illinois Agricultural Association (Illinois Farm Bureau). Two years later, he began a long and successful insurance career with Country Companies as an agent in the Bloomington area. Over the next two decades, Larry became active in the community, serving as president of both the Normal Rotary Club and the Bloomington-Normal Life Underwriters Association.

After retiring from Country Companies in 1992, Larry and Elaine started Grandpa's Implement Company, a toy business that took them to hundreds of farm toy and car shows across the country. Together, they sponsored the Crossroads Farm Toy Show in Bloomington, visited all 50 states, and traveled to several foreign countries.

Larry and Elaine enjoyed spending time with their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, as well as watching the Cubs.

Calvert & Metzler Memorial Home in Bloomington will handle cremation rites. Inurnment will be at a later date in Durant, Iowa.

Larry is survived by his wife, Elaine (Wulf) Thede; three sons: Bruce (Mary Kay), Oceanside, CA; Brian (Michelle), Bloomington, IL; and Brad (Terri), Normal, IL; five grandsons: Adam (Katie), Placentia, CA; Brett (Stevie), Normal, IL; Jacob (Maddie), Island Lake, IL; Kyle, Aurora, CO; Eric, St. Louis, MO; two granddaughters, Christy (Luis) Costa Mesa, CA; and Sara, North St. Paul, MN; six great-grandsons: Axel, Matias, Connor, Micah, Nolan and Rory, and one great-granddaughter, Violet; three brothers, Warren and Wayne, Davenport, IA, and Les, Ada, OH.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, Allen, and sisters-in-law, Shirley and Diane.

Memorials may be made to Carle Cancer Institute.