Larry Wayne Craver

Larry Wayne Craver, age 85, longtime resident of Newton, IA, passed away Saturday, July 26, 2025, at his home in Marinette, WI after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Larry was born November 15, 1939, in Montezuma, IA to Arno and Nellie Craver and was a 1957 graduate of Lynnville-Sully High School where he was a star athlete in football, basketball, and track. Following high school, he proudly served in the United States Army. After his military service, he attended Area Institute of Business in Des Moines, earning a certificate in Computer Systems which led to his employment with the Maytag Corporation in Newton. In 1963 he married Deanna “Danny” Larson of Laurens, IA, whom he had met at a Halloween party in Des Moines the year before, soon followed by the birth of his children, Eric and Kristen.

Larry Craver was a homebody. He loved his family and friends – but preferred them to come to him! Fortunately, his family and friends refused to put up with that and got him and Danny out of the house nearly every weekend. Whether he and the “2nd Avenue Gang” took their kids out to pull them on sleds behind minibikes, took all-day canoeing trips down the Skunk River, or went camping at Cutty’s Campground, it seemed that the Cravers were constantly preparing for fun with their friends. They always attended the Woods’ annual Halloween Party, the Gorballs’ annual Christmas Party, and frequently hosted the group for planned parties and impromptu get-togethers. Given their “open door policy,” it quickly became common for friends to stop by, just to have a beer or two in the “Craver kitchen.” No matter the season, the Cravers were always busy. Water skiing in Clear Lake behind the Smiths’ boat, Gorballs’ pig roasts on 2nd Avenue, buying dinner for everyone at The Amana Colonies, and trips to Niagara Falls, Southern Texas, and Alaska were only some of their exploits.

So, yes… Larry Craver was a homebody. He just wasn’t very good at it.

In addition to these activities, Larry and Danny were also very family oriented. They always celebrated Thanksgiving with the Craver side of the family and Christmas with the Larson side. Larry was an avid beer can collector with his brother-in-law, Kent. He rode motorcycles with his brother, Art, fished with his brother, Paul, and stayed in close contact with his sister, Gelene. In short, family and family traditions were important to him. Larry rarely missed the kids’ activities. From Cub Scouts to junior high choir and band concerts, DECCA competitions and plays, to track meets and football games, he always seemed to be running, building a life with Danny and working hard to put both of his children through college. Even after the unimaginable loss of Kris in 1988 they stuck close to friends and family to help them through dark times. Soon thereafter Larry became a grandpa to Mary Kristen and then to Katie. And at the end of his life, he was excited to meet his new great-granddaughter, Ivy Beatrice.

As a career man, Larry was a loyal employee of the Maytag Corporation in Newton. He spent his entire professional career with Maytag, retiring in 1996 after 34 years of service to the company. And while he did not talk about it often, he was fiercely proud of his service in the United States Army from 1957 to 1960, serving most of his hitch in Kaiserslautern, Germany. Larry was organized and methodical in everything he did. He was a quiet man. He had a huge smile, bright eyes, a soft heart, and a gentle soul. And while he was prone to periods of silence and depression, he was generally quick to laugh, soft-spoken, and slow to anger. He loved telling stories and jokes. He loved his little town in Central Iowa and he rarely missed his St. Louis Cardinals or Iowa Hawkeyes on TV. And even in later years, he kept up with high school friends, with old Army buddies, and had breakfast nearly every month with a group of Maytag retirees in downtown Newton.

Larry is survived by his wife of 62 years, Deanna “Danny” (Larson) Craver; his son, Eric P. (Susan) Craver of Marinette, WI; two granddaughters, Mary Kristen (William) DeBord of Dumfries, VA and Katherine Craver of Menominee, MI; a great-granddaughter, Ivy DeBord; a brother, Art Craver; nephews, Jordan (Brenda) Craver and Kenneth (Xiaohong) Craver; nieces, Kari Steffy, Leslie (Gary) Nedved, Susan (David) Kovarna, and Charlene Gibson; as well as many other loving cousins, relatives, and friends. Larry was preceded in death by his only daughter, Kristen M. Craver and his parents, Arno and Nellie (McCoy) Craver, as well as his brother, Paul (Arlene) Craver, sister, Gelene (Sam) Steffy, nephew Steve Steffy, and niece Kim Gersdorf. The Craver family would like to express deep love and gratitude to our many friends who came together to help Larry and Danny when they needed you most. And a very special thank you to the caring staff and residents of The Cottages Senior Living & Memory Care Center in Marinette. Our family is ever grateful.

A Celebration of Life will be held for Larry in Newton, IA at the Izaak Walton League on Saturday, September 13 at 2:00 p.m. Everyone is invited to remember Larry and to share stories and laughter. Larry will be laid to rest next to Kristen in a private ceremony at Union Cemetery in Newton. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Larry’s name to the Iowa Chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association at www.apdaparkinson.org/iowa.