Larry Eldon Wilshusen, 79, died Thursday, Sept. 18, 2013, in Marysville, Calif., of natural causes. In his last few days and hours, he was surrounded continually by his family, and died peacefully in his sleep.

A private service for his family will take place in Homer on May 24, 2014. Messages for the family can be emailed to wilshusen.family@gmail.com.

Larry came to Kenai in 1962 with his wife Geneva and five sons in tow from Paso Robles, Calif. In 1963 his only daughter was born in a Soldotna doctor’s office. A lifelong Jehovah’s Witness, Larry came to the Kenai Peninsula to “serve where the need was great.” Over the years Larry assisted many to learn of the wonderful promises held out by Jehovah God in his word, the Bible, to restore the earth to the paradise conditions he had originally intended for the earth, as well as to return man to perfect health in a peaceful “new earth.” He continued in that preaching work up until his death.

In 1973, he moved his family from Kenai to Homer, where he lived until 1987 before returning to his native California. During his time in Alaska he helped establish the local Kenai congregation as well as one in Homer. Larry returned to the Kenai area in 1999 and lived there until bad health forced him to move once again to California, in 2012, to be cared for by family until his death.

Larry is survived by his five sons, Anthony, Frank, Lance, Noel and Monte, and by his daughter, Lori. He also is survived by his 13 grandchildren and 21 great grandchildren. 

His family said, “He believed with his whole heart the promise that in paradise earth the dead would be called out of their memorial tombs: ‘Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who did good things to a resurrection of life’ (John 5:28, 29). We, his family, look forward to that day when we can welcome back all of our dead loved ones and show them how wonderful and loving our God Jehovah is and that all that he promises will certainly come to pass. Rest in Jehovah’s perfect memory, Dad, until we see you again.”