Larry Gordon Hanel

Larry Gordon Hanel, age 88 of Des Moines, died Wednesday, April 11, 2011, at Wesley Acres in Des Moines. A memorial service will be held on Friday, April 20, 2012, at 1:00 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church, 1001 Pleasant Street in Des Moines. The family will greet friends following the service with a reception at the church. Burial will take place at Waveland Cemetery in Prairie City. Memorials may be directed to the First United Methodist Church in Des Moines and condolences may be left for the family at www.coburnfuneralhomes.com.

The son of Dwight and Gertrude (Kane) Hanel, Larry was born on February 23, 1924, in Prairie City. He grew up on a farm near Prairie City. He graduated from Iowa State University with a degree in engineering and was employed for over 35 years as a gas engineer with Iowa Power & Light Company. After he retired, he and his wife Bobbie (Barbara Helen Keipp) traveled frequently. They were enthusiastic members of the Friendship Force, hosting and visiting people from other countries. They also traveled widely in the U.S. and loved to attend jazz festivals. Larry was involved in the Engineers Club of Des Moines; Young at Heart, a group of Iowa Power retirees, and Color Film Club. Throughout his life, he was a faithful member of the Methodist Church, the last sixty years as a member of the First United Methodist Church in downtown Des Moines. Larry was a loving, responsible man with a generous and steadfast spirit.

Larry was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Rosemary Stouffer; his wife Bobbie; a son-in-law, Allen Moe; and a granddaughter, Anami Hanel. He is survived by a daughter, Nancy Moe; his sons, Scott (Deborah Neighbor) and Steven (Julie Snodgrass) Hanel; grandchildren, Atman (Katherine Ofstie) & Alexander Hanel; Veronica Roberts; Sarah Hubbard; and Aaron and Nathan (Melissa Roering) Moe; and great grandchildren, Sampson & Porter Hanel, Justice & Jordan Thompson, Alexander Moe, and Brad & Zach Hubbard.