Larry Bratvold

I attended Evangel College in Springfield, Missouri where I met my future wife, Kathryn, a southern belle from Mississippi. I finished my undergraduate degree at Missouri State University followed by Law School at the University of Missouri School of Law. I am in my 46th year of practicing law in the greater Springfield, MO area including 43 + years as a solo practitioner. I do elder law, estate planning, probate, and business litigation. Kathy has two bachelor degrees, a masters degree, plus postgraduate work in gifted education and taught before our children were born and after the second daughter graduated high school. We are very involved in the lives of our two children and five grand children. 32 years ago we helped start James River Church which has become a mega-church. In addition to mothering about a half dozen churches in Missouri and other states - some of which also run in the thousands of attendees - approximately 15,000 people consider our Springfield and Joplin, MO, area campuses their home church through their regular in-person attendance. More than 30,000 attend special event services at Christmas and Easter. Our online, world-wide campus runs over 150,000 viewers for Sunday services and over 65,000 for Wednesday evening services. We are blessed to have been a part of such a vibrant church for more than three decades.

I moved to Park Rapids from St. Paul in the fall of 1967. Although I had lived eight years in Detroit Lakes (attended Kindergarten through sixth grade at Rossman Elementary), I found the change from the city to a smaller town quite difficult at age 16. I was also processing the death of my mother who died when I was 15 (she was 39).

I have fond memories of students and teachers who were so kind to me. They hold a special place in my heart. I enjoyed participating in speech events, running cross country, being on the basketball team, and working for Everett Frazee at the Texaco Station.

I really liked cars and tried to repair and rebuild things on my cars and cars owned by other people using the old tried and true method of "trial and error" (with emphasis on the "error"). I haven't changed much. I still like to try to fix everything, sometimes making things worse rather than better.

I was fortunate enough to have several friends but none as close as Sharon, who was special, wholesome, sweet, lovely, and wonderful in every way. I appreciated her genuine friendship and caring for me at a time when I was quite sad at my core being.

I have only been back to Park Rapids a few times in more than 50 years since graduation. When I have visited, driving some of the roads along the lakes and rivers conjure up pleasant memories of the brief time in my life when Park Rapids was my home.

I will close this message with these words, "May the Lord bless you and keep you, may He make His face to shine upon you, may He show you His favor and give you His peace (and may we meet again someday in heaven).