Obituary of Larry Woolsey

Larry K. Woolsey, age 66, of Porter, OK passed from this life on Sunday, October 11 2009 at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, OK following a valiant three year battle with cancer. He was born on September 4, 1943 in Joplin, MO to James E. and Margaret (Wiser) Woolsey. Larry graduated from Sapulpa High School in 1962. He then received his firefighter training at OSU and his Emergency Medical Technician training in Tulsa. He was also C.L.E.E.T. certified in law enforcement. Larry and Pennie Thorne were united in marriage on February 2, 1971 in Sapulpa, OK. Larry was an apprentice embalmer in the funeral business and worked at a number of funeral homes in the Tulsa area. He joined the Coweta Police Department in January of 1975 and was made a full time patrolman on February 2, 1975. He was also a volunteer firefighter.. In 1978 Larry did the legwork to start a city owned ambulance service. He helped author the city ordinances to govern the service. In 1982 Larry was employed as Emergency Medical Services Director. He joined the Coweta Fire Department in 1984 as assistant fire chief and EMS director. In 1994 he re-joined the Coweta Police Department as a dispatcher. Larry was named communications director in 2001 and held the post until November 14, 2003. He then worked at the Oklahoma Blood Institute from December, 2003 through May, 2008. He was a member of the Northside Christian Church in Broken Arrow, OK. His hobbies included Nascar racing, watching St. Louis Cardinal baseball and OSU Cowboy football, watching the World Series, and attending his grandchildren’s many activities. Larry was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Patti Atchley. Larry is lovingly survived by his wife, Pennie of the home; four daughters, Frances Meeks and her husband, Kelly, of Keyes, OK, Michelle Woolsey of Tulsa, OK, Amy Friend and her husband, Mike, of Porter, OK, and Nikki Phipps and her husband, Virgil, of Porter, OK; one brother, Jim Woolsey and his wife, Janet, of Coweta, OK; seventeen grandchildren, Waylon, Logan, Dalton, Ethan, and Dixie Meeks , Brennan, Sadee, and Storm Charlton, Dru and Laney Senger, Tanner and Taylor Friend, Weston and Madison Arnold, and Ian, Aryan, and Ozzy Phipps; numerous nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 15, 2009 at First Baptist Church in Coweta, OK with Rob Brust officiating and Terry Snelling assisting. Interment will follow at Vernon Cemetery. Family and friends may view the obituary and send condolences to Larry’s family online @ www.wrightfh.net. The family of Larry K. Woolsey entrusted his care and services to Wright Funeral Home, 210 S. Broadway, Coweta, OK 74429, (918) 486-5515. Casket Bearers will be Derrick Palmer, Keden Shrum, Jim Treat, Maurice Atkins, Randy Woodward, Steve Rush, John Carey, and Rene’ DeRoussel. Honorary Casket Bearers will be Tim Woolsey, John Woolsey, Jim Steinsiek, Kevin Scott, Kent McFarland, Dr. Gerald Reed, Jason Charlton, and L. D. Laughery. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Francis Hospice or the American Cancer Society.