Larry Neil Harrop

Well, Hello there. My name is Larry Neil Harrop. If you are reading this, you know that I have become eligible to have my picture in the obituaries. I passed away at the age of 91 on August 23, 2026, at 4:45 pm, just in time for dinner. I was born February 5, 1935, in Idaho Falls at the old LDS Hospital, close to the noon hour. That must be why I was always so hungry. When I was born it was very cold and my mom had to be taken by sleigh to the road where the car was parked so we could get to the hospital for her to give birth.

I am the middle child of Cleo Jesse Rostan Harrop and Eveline (Peggy) M. Fife. I grew up in Labelle. I rode my horse or my bike to the Labelle school, and after the 3rd grade, I rode the bus to Rigby where our whole class skipped 4th grade and began the school year in 5th grade. Later I went to Rigby High school, and my wife wants me to tell you that I graduated, I really did, at age 16, (because of skipping 4th grade.)

After High School I went to college at the University of Idaho in Moscow. I lived in the dorms with my friends, where we had water fights in the hall, but we kept it under control because when there was too much water, it just ran down the stairs.

At the graduation dinner I was asked to be the Master of Ceremonies. I introduced The President of the College– President Theophilus. I told the audience that when he was born his mother must have looked at him and said, “this is the awfulest looking baby I have ever seen.” But when President Theophilus got up to speak, he said, “There has been a change in the program. There WERE 529 graduates, but NOW there are only 528.”

My wife wants me to tell you that I did graduate- with a degree in Animal Science.

After college I joined the Army and spent 6 months in active duty, then several years in the Reserves.

I married the love of my life, Janice Cheri Jenkins, (after she was cornered by a mutual friend until she agreed to go out with me). We went on three dates, and I summoned the courage to ask her if she would marry me. She said yes, we continued dating while she finished college at the University of Utah. Her 80-year-old roommate fixed dinner for us when I came to visit on the weekends. She advocated for me to convince Jan to marry me, and after the 2 semesters were completed, we were married on April 8, 1960, in the Idaho Falls Temple. We went on a honeymoon to the west coast and ate hamburgers on Fisherman’s Warf!

We raised 4 wonderful daughters, and later we took in a foster son, Buck, and decided to claim him forever! We also had Jan's brother, Billy, and nephew, Christopher, live with us at different times. We also raised cattle. I am a farmer/rancher, and we run cows in Kilgore. I continued with the cattle after my dad passed away and my family will continue with the cattle now that I am gone.

I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. My wife wants me to tell you that I received many callings in the church. I served as Choir director and Bishop which were my favorites. My wife also wants me to tell you that I served 19 years on the school board, some of those as chairman. I also served for over 45 years on the Annis Little Butte Cemetery Board, some of those also as chairman.

I loved family vacations and activities. I loved to sit by my daughters, and my blue heeler dog, King, and watch Sugar Ray Leonard or Muhammed Ali defeat their opponents. I also loved to go on road trips and sing with my family. We also enjoyed going to the theatre for musical productions together as a family. Sometimes we watched them as a family and sometimes we watched our girls perform. We went on several family vacations and spent a lot of time together. I loved working the cows with my girls and with Buck.

I will miss my family while they are not with me, but I’ll have my eye on them, wait and see. (I’m a poet and I didn’t even know it.) I will be here cheering them on and watching them continue to perform in life. To my family:

“Do you know what I think of you, I LOVE YOU! I’ll see you in the funnies!”

I was preceded in death by my parents, Cleo and Eveline (Peggy) Harrop; my younger sister Carol and her husband Terry Lee; my brother-in-law Jay Williams; and King.

I am survived by my wife Jan, my daughters, Laurie Harrop-Purser (Janna Voss), Penny (Keith) Nelson, Peggy (Dave) Klepich, Shannon (Charles) Williams, my son Buck Garcia, my older sister Dorleen Williams, 26 grandchildren and 38 great-grandchildren.

The funeral will be Thursday, Sept 3, 2026, held at the Labelle church building at 4223 E 528 N Rigby at 11:00 am. We’ll receive family and friends for a viewing from 6:00 - 7:30 pm on Wednesday night, September 2, 2026, and from 9:00 - 10:45 on Thursday, Sept 3, 2026, at the Labelle church. We’ll have lots of Dum Dums there, so be sure to tell me what flavor you got when you see me.

Interment will be at the Annis Little Butte Cemetery, 3810 Menan Lorenzo Hwy, Rigby, Idaho 83442.