Larry Don Speer

Larry Don Speer was born January 19, 1960, in Enid, Oklahoma. He was a graduate of Washington High School where he excelled in sports and was the salutatorian for the class of 1978. He attended Oklahoma State University and walked on to the baseball team his freshman year. He spent his sophomore year at Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Miami on a baseball scholarship. He returned to Oklahoma State for the remainder of college and received a B.A. in finance in 1982.

Larry married Marsha Krokstrom in 1983. They lived in Norman for many years and had two children, Anthony and Jennifer.

For ten years, Larry worked in the banking industry. In 1992, he enrolled in law school at Oklahoma City University where he graduated in the top ten percent of his class in 1996. After law school, he was a lawyer in private practice.

He loved his kids. He understood they were individuals with their own quirks, and he let them have those quirks. He was so proud of Jennifer Schmitt and Anthony Speer.

Larry had a lifelong love of sports and was active with the Norman Optimist Club, volunteering for youth sports programs. He also coached many youth sports teams for his children. He loved attending Oklahoma State sporting events—basketball, football, baseball, women’s golf. If there was an OSU sporting event, he was there.

Larry was stubborn and ornery and known for his irreverent sense of humor and his finely-honed debate skills. He never shied away from a good argument, and he instilled the love of a good argument in his daughter.

He enjoyed collecting baseball cards with his son Anthony and was a master of really bad dad jokes.

Larry was kind-hearted and always wanted to help others.

He is preceded in death by his father, Larry E. Speer. He is survived by his son Anthony Speer of Norman; daughter Jennifer Schmitt (Brandon) of Moore; his mother Carolyn Speer of Oklahoma City; his sister Karen Kay Chappell (Robert) of Richmond, VA; and niece Ann Chappell of Richmond, VA.

Memorial donations in honor of Larry can be made to Oklahoma American Diabetes Association.