Larry Horstdaniel

On September 5, 2026, Larry (Lawrence) Horstdaniel of Jefferson City was given a heavenly welcome by his loving wife Barbara, his parents Herman and Mary, his brothers and sisters Frank, Ferdinand, Frederick, Joe, Dorothy, Ann, and Marie, his cat Nibbles, and other beloved family members.  He was born on February 12, 1928, and was 98 years old.

Larry graduated from St. Joseph High School in Westphalia and later in life graduated from Moler Barber College in St. Louis.  After a day of learning, Larry and his friends would go to the local Tavern where August Busch would buy them all a round.  Because of his adventures in life, Larry would say that at one time he knew four languages: German, Latin, English, and Korean.

He was married to Barbara Marie Hagennoff on September 27, 1958, at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in St. Elizabeth.  She preceded him in death on October 24, 2017.

Although Larry grew up during the Great Depression, he always remembered that part of his youth with fondness and love.  From helping his father on their family farm to helping his mother work in the garden, Larry never complained about the hardships that his family faced while he grew up.

Larry learned the importance of hard work early in his life.  When Larry’s father was the custodian at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Larry would help him in different ways.  During the winter, Larry’s father would clean and shovel the snow from the church area, while Larry helped by attaching a makeshift plow blade to his little red wagon and, by his own strength, plowed the sidewalks of Westphalia for his neighbors.  As a young boy, he would go to the church and pump the bellows early in the morning to supply air to the pipe organ before Mass started, and he was often called to be an altar server for many Masses, sometimes more than once a day.  He also helped his father dig graves in the Westphalia Cemetery while his brothers were serving during World War II.

Larry was a proud American, serving in the United States Army from 1951 to 1953, fighting on the 38th parallel during the Korean War.  Governor Jay Nixon awarded him the Missouri Korean War Veterans Medallion for his bravery and for holding his post after many of the soldiers were killed in his unit during the Korean War.  He was honorably discharged with the rank of Sergeant.

When Larry returned home from the war, he was to help his Uncle Clem by becoming a mortician at the Horstdaniel Funeral Home in Westphalia.  Upon his arrival home, he told his mother that after seeing so much death during the war, he did not want to pursue this type of employment any longer.  It was at this point in his life that he decided to become a barber instead.

Since 1954, Larry owned and operated Larry’s Barber Shop on Madison Street, one block from the Missouri Governor’s Mansion in Jefferson City.  In his 65-year career, he cut the hair of many Missouri governors, starting with Governor John M. Dalton in 1961, many congressmen from the Missouri State Capitol, Catholic bishops, priests, and businessmen.  Men enjoyed going to his downtown barbershop, not only for his services, but to hear Larry’s interesting stories about his childhood in Westphalia, his military service to our country while stationed in Japan and Korea, and the famous people who had walked through his doors.  At the age of 91, Larry decided to hang up his clippers.  He left a simple signed note on a yellow Post-it in the front window of his shop notifying his decades of loyal customers that he was no longer going to cut hair.

Larry was a faithful member of Saint Peter Catholic Church, where every weekend he and his wife Barb sat in the front pew to worship.  He was a member of the Holy Name Society, Oblate Mission Friendship Club, Our Lady of Snows, the VFW, the Barber’s Union, and the American Legion.

He is survived by many nieces and nephews; extended family members; and numerous friends and customers.

Visitation will be from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. Saturday, September 19, 2026, at St. Peter Catholic Church, followed by the Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. with the Reverend Monsignor Robert A. Kurwicki, officiating.

Entombment with military honors will be held at Resurrection Catholic Mausoleum.

Memorials are suggested to the charity of the family’s choosing or for Masses.

Services entrusted to Trimble Funeral Homes – Jefferson City.    trimblefunerals.com

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