Lawrence "Larry" R. Eshelman (2008)

ESHELMAN

Posted By: Shirley Keating (email)
Date: 1/2/2009 at 21:16:57

Des Moines Register, Des Moines, Iowa
December 17, 2008

LAWRENCE "LARRY" R. ESHELMAN Altoona

Larry was called home to heaven November 23, 2008, after struggling since February 2004, with complications from a catastrophic stroke.

Larry is survived by his wife, Harriet Kay Eshelman, and his son, Eric Eshelman, of Ankeny, Iowa.

Larry was born at home on September 18, 1932, in Altoona, Iowa, to Ralph and Veronica Eshelman and lived in and around Altoona for the remainder of his life.

Larry attended Grandview College and graduated from Simpson College with a degree in chemistry and education. He taught school in both Legrand and Earlham, Iowa until 1965 when he married Harriet. He began working for Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. in 1965 as a chemist. He retired from Firestone in 1985 and took a position teaching in the chemistry lab at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. He left his teaching position with Drake University in 1990 and worked as a substitute teacher in the Des Moines, Southeast Polk and Ankeny school districts until he suffered his stroke in 2004.

During the late 1970's and throughout the 1980's, Larry maintained fifteen acres of strawberries at his farm in Altoona and every June would open the field to the public where he would sell strawberries by the pound. Larry loved planting fruit tree orchards, rows upon rows of raspberry plants and growing acres of vegetables on his farm in Altoona. He enjoyed selling the produce he raised at the Des Moines Downtown Farmers' Market and in more recent years selling flowers at the Farmers' Market with his wife, Kay.

Family and friends are invited to help celebrate Larry's life at a memorial service which will be held on Saturday, December 20, 2008, 10 a.m. at the Lutheran Church of the Cross in Altoona, 1701 8th Street S.W., Altoona, Iowa. A luncheon will follow the service.