Larry Joe “LJ” Enfield Jr., son of Larry Joe Sr. and Dorothy
(Bateman) Enfield, was born March 25, 1963, in Pratt, Kansas, on his
mother's birthday and passed away at his home in Norton, Kansas, on
January 20, 2022, at the age of 58.
Larry grew up in Norton and attended Washington/Eisenhower
Elementary School, Norton Jr. High and was a 1981 Graduate of Norton
Community High School. After high school, he attended Kansas City Kansas
Community College for Mortuary Science. LJ married his high school
sweetheart, Diana Jo Boston, on July 17, 1982, at the Norton Christian
Church with her dad and brother officiating. Following their marriage,
they returned to Kansas City to finish their college education. LJ
graduated from KCKCC with an Associate Degree of Science in May 1983, at
which time they returned to Norton where they joined the family
business and began working for his father, Larry Sr., at Enfield Funeral
Home. In August 2008, LJ and Diana purchased the funeral home from his
father and owned/operated the business until their retirement in
January 2021. They spent their year of retirement traveling and
enjoying quality time with their family and friends. Special trips were
made to Colorado to go four-wheeling in the mountains with family near
Leadville and watching the elk rut in Estes Park. LJ might not have
been the traditional church-goer but he was a man of great belief and
faith in God and he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he would be
going to meet his Lord and Savior.
LJ was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Norton,
National Funeral Directors Association and Kansas Funeral Directors
Association, where he served as the board President in 2007-2008. He had
also been active in Pheasants Forever, Men’s Golf, and the Norton Car
Club. Larry served his community in many ways over the years, not only
as the local funeral director but he served on the Norton County
Sheriff’s Reserves and for 25 years he volunteered for the Norton City
Fire Dept., where he retired as Captain. LJ's Grandpa Dan instilled a
love of nature, hunting, fishing and camping in his young grandson,
which he, in turn, passed on to his sons and grandchildren. LJ loved
being outdoors and he loved people. His favorite times were spent with
family and friends out hunting, fishing, camping, and traveling to name a
few. Extra special trips were elk hunting and Canadian or Alaskan
fishing trips with his kids and friends. Together, LJ and Diana
traveled extensively with friends whether it was to conventions for the
NFDA or cruises to the Caribbean, Alaska, and the Mediterranean where
they made lifelong friends from Oregon. In more recent years, they
enjoyed trips to the Florida Keys to relax and fish with Norton friends
and going to the Daytona 500 races with dear friends from North Dakota.
LJ loved to cook and BBQ and enjoyed sharing what he made. He was a
social butterfly and could be found most days at 110 or the golf course
visiting with friends making sure there was laughter and love. During
the summers since the boys were little, they could be found camping and
boating at the lake with family and friends. He was teased about being
the camp greeter as he never met a stranger. He would say his greatest
accomplishment in life by far was his family. He and Diana spent 40+
years together and would have celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary
in July. He was so very proud of the men his two boys had become as
husbands and fathers and the beautiful girls they chose to share their
lives. He never considered the girls as in-laws but told everyone he
had two sons and two daughters. They were his girls. A most special
part of his life began in 2007, when he became a grandpa! He was "Papa"
to four boys and two girls who were his whole world and they will miss
him more than anyone.
Survivors include: his wife of 39 years, Diana, of their home in
Norton; his children, Jody and Jessica Enfield, of Norton, and Andy and
Charli Enfield, of Norton; grandchildren: Trevan, Caden, Ethan, Logan,
Delaney, and Kinlee Enfield, all of Norton; his father-in-law, Darel
Boston, of Norton; two brothers, Brock (Jodi) Ellis and Scott (Darla)
Ellis, all of Norton; one sister, Honor (Greg) Smith, of McPherson,
Kansas, and their families; brother-in-law, Dean (Julie) Boston, North
Richland Hills, Texas; aunts, Carolyn (Bill) Graves, Ellsworth, Kansas;
Louise (Allan) Schnitkker and Gail Dancaster, all of Pratt, Kansas;
uncles, Dannie (Jane) Enfield, Omaha, Nebraska; Gary Dean Enfield,
Salina, Kansas; Bud and Ted Bateman, Ed (Sue) Batemen, Tulsa, Oklahoma;
many nieces, nephews, and grand-nieces and grand-nephews, cousins,
other relatives and a host of dear friends. He is also survived by his
mother, Dorothy (Tom) Webb, of Pratt; sisters, Debb (Donovan) Wallgren,
Phillipsburg, Kansas; and Anissa (Jerry) Sonntag, Hays, Kansas, and
their families. He was preceded in death by his father and stepmother,
Larry, Sr. and Vicki Enfield and mother-in-law, Jo Ann Boston, his
paternal grandparents, Mae and Joe Millen and Vincent L. Enfield, and
his maternal grandparents, Fannie and Clarence "Dan" Dancaster, one
uncle, Harley Dancaster and one cousin, Derek Bateman.
Funeral services will be held 2:00 pm Thursday, January 27, 2022, at
the Pavilion at Prairie Dog State Park (please dress accordingly and
bring a lawn chair as the service venue is outdoors). Burial will follow
at the Norton Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3-7:00 pm Wednesday,
January 26, at the funeral home in Norton. Memorial contributions may be
made to the Prairie Dog State Park or OK Kids Day and sent in care of
Plumer-Gobber Funeral Home, 215 W. Main St., Norton, KS 67654.
Condolences may be left at www.plumergobber.com