Larry Dale (Doc) Hauptmeier, 88, of Kearney (formerly of Overton) died at CHI Good Samaritan Hospital on May 4, 2024, from complications of pneumonia and a fractured hip.
Larry was born on Friday, January 31, 1936 at home in rural Sterling, Nebraska, to Fred and Martha (Rathe) Hauptmeier. The roads were blocked with snow, so the maintainer brought the doctor for the delivery. He lived and attended school in Sterling until moving to rural Elk Creek in 1943. There he attended St. Peters Lutheran Church parochial school until 1945, when the family moved to rural Beatrice. He attended First Trinity Lutheran Church parochial school until 1950. The family moved to rural Orient, Iowa and he attended Richland Township Consolidated School, graduating with the class of 1954.
Larry attended Creston Community Junior College for one semester and then enlisted in the Army the beginning of January 1955. Basic training was in Camp Chaffee, Arkansas, then further training in Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. He was stationed at Fitzsimmons Army Hospital in Denver, Colorado until December 1955. He then went to France in January of 1956, and served there until December of 1957. He returned to Creston Junior College and graduated in 1959. He went to Iowa State University in 1959 and graduated from ISU College of Veterinary Medicine in May 1964.
He met Phyllis Jean Hetland while attending Creston Junior College and the two were married on June 11, 1961 at the First United Methodist Church. And to this union four children were born: Becky, Tyler, Sara and Beth. Over the years, they took in and cared for many “bonus children,” including Linda Henry Wade.
Larry and Phyllis moved to Overton, Nebraska in July 1964 and founded the Overton Veterinary Clinic. He had a practice there for 30 years until he retired in 1994. He then came out of retirement and returned to ISU for three years as the Iowa State Bovine Extension Veterinarian. They returned home to Overton in 1997. Larry helped in several veterinary practices, filling in for vacationing vets or practices that needed an extra hand. In 2021, Larry and Phyllis moved to Kearney.
Larry was a faithful member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Lexington, where he was a past Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors, past Chairman of the planning committee, past Foundation Board Member an elder, trustee, etc. Larry was also a past Overton State Bank Board of Director, and lifelong member of veterinarian associations, AVMA and NVMA. In February 2024, Larry was inducted into the Dawson County Cattlemen’s Association Hall of Fame.
Larry enjoyed life. He loved his family, his wife’s cooking, playing cards, and traveling. Larry and Phyllis traveled to all fifty states and six of the seven continents. Africa was his favorite. He had good sense of humor and was always making us laugh. When told in the hospital he was COVID positive, he replied, “For the seventeenth time!!”
Larry will be remembered as a hard working provider and for his unwavering faith in Christ that he loved to share with others. He would often be seen with a Bible in hand and read from it daily. Larry never knew a stranger and will forever be known for his wonderful bear hugs.
Larry left many to cherish his memory: daughters Becky (Jeff) Marshall of Elm Creek, Sara Theoharis of Hastings, Beth (Kirk) MacGregor of Grangeville, ID, son Tyler (Melissa) Hauptmeier of Doniphan, grandchildren Lacy (Adam) Brown, Hannah (Blake) Hild, Leah (Gavin) Kenney, Tasia, Nikos, Demetri Theoharis, Keely and Max MacGregor, and great-grandchildren Marshall, Jaxon, Lily, Zeke, and William Brown, Weston and Adelynn Hild, and Brielle, Raelynn, and Reid Kenney, and many nieces and nephews.
Larry is preceded in death by his parents, his beloved wife, Phyllis Hauptmeier, in-laws Elmer and Beatrice Hetland; brothers, Arlynn and Willard Hauptmeier; sister, Marylyn Carlson; sisters-in-law, Darlene Hauptmeier and Rosalind Mulvany; nephew Rod Hauptmeier and niece Terry Ricchio.
Funeral Services will be held on Friday, May 10, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lexington with Pastor Rob Kuefner and Pastor Tyler Hauptmeier officiating.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, May 9, 2024, with family receiving guests from 5-7 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lexington.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are kindly suggested to the Trinity Lutheran Church, Holy Cross Lutheran Church or the Overton Community Foundation.
Reynolds-Love Funeral Home in Lexington is honored to be assisting the family with arrangements. Please share online condolences with the family by visiting: reynoldslovefuneralhome.com