Lawrence "Larry" Sporrer

Lawrence “Larry” Sporrer, age 84, of Carroll, Iowa, passed away on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at Addington Place in Carroll surrounded by his family.

Mass of the Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 A.M. on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, at St. Lawrence Catholic Church – St. John Paul II Parish in Carroll with Fr. Patrick Behm as Celebrant. Music for the Mass will be by Kathy Halbur with Sherry Loughran as cantor. The Carroll Volunteer Fire Department will form an honor guard at the Funeral Mass. Casket bearers will be Joel Buck, Garrett Buck, Jackson Buck, Michael Laing, Scott Snyder, and Randy Schultes. Burial will be in Mt. Olivet Cemetery with military honors conducted by the Carroll American Legion.

Visitation will be held at the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll from 5 – 7 P.M. on Monday where there will be a Christian Wake Service held at 7 P.M. The casket will be moved to St. Lawrence Church at 9:30 A.M. on Tuesday where visitation will resume, without greeting of the family, until 10:15 A.M. prior to the Mass.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Carroll Animal Rescue and may be left with the funeral home or at the church.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Dahn and Woodhouse Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for the family at www.dahnandwoodhouse.com

Larry was born on October 10, 1941, in Carroll, Iowa, to William and Elsie (Joens) Sporrer. He lived his entire life in Carroll and was deeply dedicated to his community. He attended St. Lawrence Elementary School, graduated from Kuemper Catholic High School in 1959, and later earned his certification in refrigeration service from Omaha Technical College.

In 1963, Larry served in the United States Army National Guard at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, where he earned the Marksman Distinction. Following his honorable discharge, he returned to Carroll and married Ruth Madigan in June 1964 at St. Lawrence Church. Although they later divorced in 1989, they built a home in Carroll and raised their three daughters there.

Larry worked alongside his brother, Don, at Sporrer TV & Appliance Store for several years before opening his own business, Central Refrigeration Services. He later spent 29 years as a building maintenance specialist at the Carroll Recreation Center for the City of Carroll. Even after "retiring," Larry returned to work by starting Larry Sporrer Service, specializing in refrigeration and the maintenance and installation of restaurant and convenience store equipment.

He loved working, attending auctions, tinkering in his workshop and garage, and meeting the guys for morning coffee. One of the hardest-working people around, Larry took great pride in his work and often went out of his way to ensure members of the community received exceptional service. Larry had a warm smile, loved telling jokes, and enjoyed making people laugh. He was an avid John Wayne fan and enjoyed learning about trains and cars.

Larry also proudly served as a dedicated volunteer firefighter with the Carroll Fire Department for 25 years. He was a member of St. John Paul II Parish (St. Lawrence Church), Carroll American Legion Post 7, Carroll Moose Lodge 273, and was a supporter of the Knights of Columbus.

Larry is survived by his three daughters and their families: Kim Sporrer of Denver, CO, Beth Laing (Michael) of Des Moines, and Pam Buck (Joel) of Baltimore, MD; two grandsons: Garrett Buck and Jackson Buck; a sister-in-law Vera Sporrer of Carroll; a special niece Sherry Caventer of Lidderdale; and other extended family members.

Larry was preceded in death by his parents William and Elsie Sporrer; and two brothers Don Sporrer (Penny) and Duane Sporrer.