Larry Allen Neckar, rural Blue River, died at his home on Thursday, June 7, 2012 at the age of 63.
He was born May 1, 1949 in Kenosha to Lad E. and Lucille M. (Kleinke) Neckar. Larry was a 1967 graduate of St. Joseph’s High School in Kenosha and a 1973 graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He attended the UW Platteville graduate program in Counseling and Guidance.
From 1970-71, Larry served as a VISTA volunteer in Port Hudson, LA, where he met Andrea K. (Kathy) Poimboeuf. They were married on September 1, 1973 at the home of her parents in Logansport, LA. The couple moved to their farm in Richwood Township, Richland County in the fall of 1975. Larry was the director of the Boscobel Youth Center in Boscobel from 1975-1977.
In addition to working as an AODA counselor in Boscobel and to tending his sheep in Linden Springs Farm, Larry was also a ski instructor (Mt. La Crosse), a carpenter, a general contractor (Dovetail Builders), a rural mail carrier (Boscobel), and a land title agent (Southwest Wisconsin Land Title, Richland Center, and Flame Petroleum, Baton Rouge, LA.)
Although deeply rooted in his farm, he loved mountaineering, travel, skiing, canoeing, hiking, bicycling and sharing his life with friends from around the world. He was at home in wild places from his own woods to national and state parks and wilderness areas throughout North America. His solo bicycle trip from Kenosha to Woods Landing, Wyo., the months he spend living with a Zapotec family in a small fishing village on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, and his trip to Turin, Italy was the coach of the Thai National Downhill Ski Team are just a few examples of his love of life and spirit of adventure.
He volunteered his time to a large number of individuals and organizations. He was a lead organizer for the Boscobel Community Christmas Dinner, served on the Board of Directors of the Kickapoo Exchange Foods Co-op, Gays Mills, and Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School, Viroqua, sang in the St. John’s Community Christmas Choir, Boscobel, directed construction of St. Nicholas Church at St. Isaac Skete, rural Boscobel and served as Rural Letter Carriers’ Union Steward at the Boscobel Post Office.
Larry was a talented musician (vocal and guitar) and performed with friends at folk festivals and for kindergarten and preschool classes throughout Southwest Wisconsin. He led youth canoeing, caving, climbing and camping trips in Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota and Wyoming.
He leaves behind his wife, Kathy; three sons, Andrew Benjamin (Drew) and his wife Amanda (Jones), Strum, Christopher Daniel (Cris) and his wife Lesya Kulchenko, San Mateo, Cal., and Jonathan Lad (Johnny) Neckar, Stateline, Nev.; two grandchildren, Cullen and Bella Neckar, Strum; two wards, Michael Poimboeuf, brother-in-law, and his wife Ann-Margaret Moyer, San Mateo, Cal., and Simeon Kulp, nephew, Blue River; two international student daughters, Natalia Koulikova, Dubna, Russia and Yalan Ye, Shilong, China; two additional brothers-in-law, Walter (Tre) Poimboeuf, Logansport, La., and Timothy Poimboeuf, Las Vegas, Nev.; four additional nieces and nephews, Michelle, Anthony, Emma and Owen Poimboeuf, San Mateo, Cal.
Larry was preceded in death by his parents, his infant grandson, Aiden Benjamin Neckar and his brother, Lee Thomas Neckar.
Friends and family gathered at the Neckar home on Friday, June 8, 2012 for a celebration of Larry’s life. Music was provided by friends of the family. The funeral service was held at St. Nicholas Church, St. Isaac Skete, Boscobel on Saturday, June 9. Father Thomas Kulp presided. Pallbearers were Drew, Cris and Johnny Neckar, Simeon Kulp, Greg and Sasha Vereschagin, Dan Hendricks and Kevin Murray. Burial was in West Fork Cemetery, Richwood Township.
Friends met at Larry and Kathy’s home after the burial for a lunch.
