Larry O. Wistrom
Larry O. Wistrom, a longtime resident of Burlington, died Saturday, Oct. 7, 2006, at Coffey County Hospital in Burlington of complications from Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases.
Mr. Wistrom worked for 19 years as a production engineer for Sealright Container Company in Kansas City, Kan. He also was a professional race car driver, which included racing at Daytona. He was a regular driver for many years at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City. He was an Army veteran of the Viet Nam War.
In 1981, the family moved to the Jacobs Creek community in Coffey County. He operated the water department for the City of New Strawn later, operated his own backhoe service.
In 1976 he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. He was the first person in the United States to undergo deep brain stimulation on both sides, which was then a new and experimental procedure for treatment of the symptoms of Parkinson’s. His health forced him to move to Sunset Manor in Waverly in April 2004.
The son of Lewis and Elsie Settell Wistrom, he was born Nov. 29, 1941, at Gravity, Iowa. He grew up in Kansas City, Kan., where he attended school. After his military service, he attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.
He married Margaret Pullen on Feb. 14, 1976, at Kansas City. She survives.
Mr. Wistrom was a member of the First Christian Church in Burlington.
He is also survived by three daughters, Paula Gosney of Jacobs Creek, Karen Pressley of Hartford and Nancy Stoughton of Kansas City, Kan.; four brothers, Rick Wistrom of Jacobs Creek, Dennis Wistrom of Kansas City, Kan.; Mark Wistrom of Tucson, Ariz., and Timothy Wistrom of Knoxville, Tenn.; one sister, Rosalee Koppell of Tucson, Ariz.; 16 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.
The family will hold a memorial service from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Senior Center in Burlington. Mr. Wistrom was cremated.
The famiy suggests that, instead of flowers, memorial contributions be made to the Larry Wistrom Memorial Fund and sent in care of the Jones Funeral Home, P.O. Box277, Burlington, KS 66839.