Larry Gordon Piper
Larry Gordon Piper
June 26, 1928 – January 13, 2018
Happy Trails to You Until We Meet Again.
Larry Gordon Piper passed away peacefully on Jan. 13, 2018, in Spring, Texas. Born on June 26, 1928 in Dallas, Texas, to John Bryan Piper and Stevie (“Pet”) Kinkead Piper, he is preceded in death by his wife of 39 years, Vera Jo Shepperd Piper; father and mother; brothers John Allen and David Warren Piper; and sister Janet Piper Fry.
He is survived by wife of 32 years, Marjorie Orr Koonce Piper. Also he is survived by sons Larry Piper, Jr., Steven and Margaret Piper, Jimmy and Mary Koonce, and Charles Koonce; sister Janice Piper Burrage and husband Richard of Burnet, Texas; 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Larry graduated from Sweeney High School in 1945 and went on to attend Sul Ross State College, Southwest Texas College, University of Texas, California Polytechnic College, and the Foreign Service Institute in Arlington, Virginia. As a career Foreign Service Officer he traveled all over the world and spent extensive time in Africa, Europe and South America. He was executive director of the Office of the Secretary of State, and U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Gambia. In 1986, he retired to the small city of Sweeney, Texas, where he raised cattle and served 15 years as the mayor.
He walked in high circles, but was always a Texas cowboy at heart. An active member of Memorial Baptist Church in Spring, Texas, Larry was also affiliated with Scottish Rite and Shriners of Houston, Texas. He was loving and generous to all that had the opportunity to know him and he will be greatly missed. The Glory of his passing is that he is in Heaven with our Almighty God and we will get to be with him again someday.
His memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Jan. 27 at Hill Country Fellowship Church. In lieu of flowers please send contributions to the Memorial Baptist Church in Spring, Texas, or Shriners Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas.
