Larry Dale Kaisner, 84, of Forrest, went to his Heavenly home at 6:44 a.m. on June 24, 2026, at the OSF Richard L. Owens Hospice Center, Peoria. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, June 29, 2026, at the Fairbury First Baptist Church. Pastors Kim Ernst and Brian King will be officiating. Burial will be in the Pleasant Ridge Twp. Cemetery with full military rites accorded by the J.A. Folwell American Legion Post #174. Visitation will be held from 2 p.m.-6 p.m., Sunday, June 28, 2026, at Duffy-Pils Memorial Home, Fairbury.

Larry was born on September 13, 1941 to Joseph and Ida (Sutter) Kaisner. Larry married Cynthia Bahler on April 17, 1966. He loved to tell the story about how he fainted during the ceremony in his parent’s living room, so he never actually spoke his vows. Although he may not have officially said the words “I do,” when it came to loving his wife, Larry did that every single day of their 60-year marriage.

Larry is survived by his wife, Cindy and their three children Angela (Chris) Rieger, Jeffery (Melissa) Kaisner, and Renee (Troy) Wenger. Larry was devoted to his seven grandchildren Nick (Carly) Rieger and Noah Rieger, Drew (Leah) Kaisner and Erin (Zach) Hargett, and Tyler Wenger, Hayden Wenger, and Sydney (Jacob) Woodrey. He was the proud great-grandpa of Ella and Fitz. Larry was a beloved uncle to many nieces and nephews.

Larry’s first and best friends were his siblings. He has maintained close relationships with all of them. He is survived by his brother Leon (Eunice), sisters Helen Follmer, Janet Farney, and Lou Ida (Richard) Steffen as well as dear in-laws Carlos (Marty) Bahler, Earl Bahler, Marilyn (Robert) Montoya, and Mary Kaisner. Throughout their lives, these brothers and sisters have gone on mission trips with Larry as well as been their traveling partners and constant companions.

Larry was preceded in death by two brothers, one sister, three brothers-in-law, and two sisters-in-law.

Larry graduated from Forrest-Strawn-Wing in 1959. He began training as a carpenter. Larry was drafted and served in the Army stateside during the Vietnam War from 1963-1965. He was a member of the J.A. Folwell American Legion Post. Upon returning home from his service, Larry resumed working in construction. He was a founding partner of K Double Z Construction and built and remodeled homes throughout the area. In the final stage of his career, he built student housing on the U of I campus. Working side-by-side with his children and their families on projects, one of his grandchildren once said, “My grandpa can fix anything.” Truly, every home in our family has our dad’s handprints on it.

Larry had a servant’s heart. He went on countless mission trips throughout the country helping with disaster relief. Closer to home, he organized monthly trips to volunteer at the Midwest Food Bank.

There was no harder worker than Larry. The entire time he was raising his children, he told them to never ask someone to do a job for them that they weren’t willing to do themselves. He never sat still for long. If he wasn’t working some odd carpentry job, Larry would be out working in the yard or in one of his countless vegetable and flower gardens or tinkering in his shed. In the evenings or on Sundays, he loved to play cards, indulge in a good nap, and spend time with his family and friends.

Most importantly, Larry loved the Lord. He became a Christ-follower in 1966. He served the Lord with all of his heart. Even in his final days, he was telling others about his love of Jesus. When we would ask him who he was talking to from his hospital bed, he would say he was just talking to God.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Harvest Call, Fairbury; Midwest Food Bank, Bloomington; or J.A. Folwell American Legion Post, Forrest.

Larry’s pallbearers are his grandsons Drew, Tyler, Nick, Hayden, Noah, Jake, and Zach.