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 </figure>Lawrence "Larry" Jacob Gassmann was born on February 11, 1954, in Colby, 
Kansas, to Conrad and Magdalen (Weber) Gassmann. He passed away at the 
age of 67 on May 12, 2021, in Overland Park, Kansas. 
 Larry grew up on a farm one mile west of Dresden, Kansas and 
attended Leoville Grade School. From a small child on up, he was 
accustomed to hard work helping on the farm, milking cows, raising 
chickens, plowing fields, and assisting with the wheat harvest. As he 
reached his early teens, he always raised a prized garden. In May 1968,
 Larry graduated from Leoville Grade School and the following fall, 
began attending Leoville High School as a freshman. He loved playing 
sports, with basketball and softball being his favorite. Leoville High 
School was unified with Hoxie High School the following year. Larry 
attended Hoxie High the following three years and graduated as a senior 
on May 22, 1972. As a high school student, Larry was involved in 
numerous activities, including Future Farmers of America (FFA), 
shop/woodworking and attended football and basketball games. In August 
1972, he began attending Goodland Area Vocational Technical Trade 
School, with a two-year program in electricity and electronics. He 
supplemented his tuition by doing yardwork and landscaping for local 
residents, including the Catholic church. Larry had a chance to 
reconnect with Fr. Merlin Kieffer from Seven Dolars while he was in Via 
Cristi. Fr. Merlin was the priest in Goodland that Larry did the yard 
work for back in the early '70s, how ironic. In addition to that, he 
also worked nights as a stocker at Larry’s IGA and eventually moved into
 the produce department. Following graduation, Larry began working as a
 specialist at Ulysses Irrigation in Goodland and continued his 
part-time duties at Larry’s IGA. After 13 years, Ulysses Irrigation 
went out of business and Larry headed east to become a resident of 
Manhattan, Kansas in 1987. 
 That year, Larry was hired by Food-4-Less grocery store in Manhattan
 to work in the produce department, moving up later to become the 
store’s produce manager. He left Food-4-Less in 1993. He then went on to
 work as a contractor for Equinox International and Swepco Petroleum out
 of Fort Worth. In August of 1993 he was hired by the Riley County 
Public Works as an Operator 2. During his 28-year career with Riley 
County, he worked on the road and bridge repair crew, traffic control, 
snow removal and sign division. Larry was a loyal employee and highly 
devoted to Riley County during his tenure. He was set to retire on May 
31, 2021. 
 A strong work ethic was instilled in Larry that was evident his 
entire life, but he also enjoyed other activities besides work. He was 
meticulous and organized, an avid recycler and had an interest in the 
Oregon Trail. He also was a big fan of Kansas State football and the 
Dallas Cowboys. When he purchased his house in 2009, he took great pride
 in his yard. By using the knowledge, he gained from his work with Riley
 County, he constantly looked for ways to improve it each year. It was 
an annual challenge for Larry to find the best grass seed possible. The 
farm never left Larry, as he loved working outdoors. The love of his 
yard was evident in the beautiful lilacs and bushes that filled his 
yard. He was very innovative and always had creative ideas. He had 
started building a man cave/tornado shelter in his back yard that would 
attach to his house which he planned on finishing once he retired. Also,
 upon retirement he planned to build a nut and bolt sorter he had 
designed on paper and wanted to renew his woodworking skills by building
 picnic tables and Adirondack chairs to sell. Other retirement plans 
included more work on his yard, remodeling his home, traveling with his 
sisters to Europe and making many trips to Dallas to spend time with his
 nephew, Connor.
 He was a great asset to the KMKF radio station softball team in the 
late 80s and was instrumental in helping the team win the city 
championship in 1989. He had a great passion for classic cars and owned
 several of them, including two Chevy Monte Carlos. However, his prized
 possession was his 1972 green Ford Mustang Mach I. He also loved 
riding his Kawasaki motorcycle and often took rides around town. On 
weekend afternoons, it was not unusual to see Larry hand polishing his 
vehicles in his driveway. Even as a small child, Larry’s biggest love 
was for his kitties and he built a special burial place on the farm for 
all the farm cats. Later in life, Larry continued his love for animals 
and provided loving homes to numerous felines in Goodland as well as his
 Manhattan kitty family over the years which included Zachary 1, Zachery
 2, Zachery 3, Pause, Bevo and Worthless as well as his current kitty 
family Ronald, Puma and Tiger. 
 Larry enjoyed eating and cooking. His Black Forest cherry cake was 
his specialty and was a big hit with his friends and family. Other 
favorite foods included blackberry dumplings, beans and noodles, popcorn
 and popcorn balls, sunflower seeds, dill pickles and chicken and 
noodles. Larry always had a love of music, movies, and television. 
Favorite TV shows included Star Trek, Get Smart, Batman, Bonanza, 
Dallas, Jericho, Two and a Half Men, Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, 
24, Blacklist, American Idol, Survivor and Big Brother. Larry’s 
favorite music genre was classic rock from the '60s and '70s. He loved 
the Grass Roots, the Raspberries, Three Dog Night, Neil Diamond and The 
Monkees. His favorite song in his youth was "Little Arrows" by Leepy Lee.
 His love of music continued later in life and he enjoyed a wide variety
 of contemporary music throughout the years. 
 Larry is survived by his siblings: Francis Gassmann and wife Cindy 
of Garden Plain, KS, Anthony Gassmann and wife Peggy of Dresden, KS, 
George Gassmann and wife Vickie of New Almelo, KS, Mary Gassmann of 
Indianapolis, IN, Ann Gassmann of Euless, TX, Theresa Gassmann of 
Euless, TX, sister-in-law Debbie Gassmann of Leavenworth, KS, 18 nieces
 and nephews, 54 great nieces and nephews, 7 step-nieces and nephews, 8 
great-great nieces and nephews, 7 step great-great nieces and nephews, 
his three kitties, Ronald, Puma and Tiger, as well as numerous beloved 
friends.
 He was preceded in death by his father, Conrad in 1975, mother, 
Magdalen in 2020, sister, Donna in 1967 and brothers Ralph and Paul in 
2013. 
 Larry was a kind and gentle soul to everyone he met and was 
treasured by everyone. He will be incredibly missed by his family and 
friends.
 Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 am Friday, May 21, 2021,&nbsp; at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Leoville, Kansas. Burial will 
follow at Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Leoville. Visitation will be 
from 3-7:00 pm Thursday, May 20, 2021, at Pauls Funeral Home, Selden. A 
Rosary will be said at 7:00 pm following the visitation at the funeral 
home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Riley County Humane 
Society or Mass Offerings. Condolences may be left at www.paulsfh.com

Lawrence 'Larry' Jacob Gassmann