Larry Lynn Gullett, 65, of Solon, Iowa, passed away at his home with his family by his side on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024.
A visitation will be held from 4-6 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 11 at the Lensing Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City. The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 12 at St. Thomas More Church in Coralville, Iowa. The Rev. Charles Adam will officiate.
A luncheon will be provided immediately following the funeral service, and everyone is invited to attend. The luncheon will be at the Celebration Farm, 4696 Robin Woods Lane N.E. in Iowa City. Burial will be at 1 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13 at the Pleasant Hill Cemetery near Kuehn Conservation Area in Earlham, Iowa.
Larry was born in Marshalltown, Iowa, on Sept. 21, 1958.
He graduated from Newton Senior High School in 1977 and earned a bachelor of science degree from Iowa State University, majoring in fisheries and wildlife biology while completing extra coursework in environmental studies.
Larry was married to Connie (Ryan) Gullett at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Newton, Iowa. on Jan. 14, 1984. They were married for over 40 years, and they raised two sons together, Ryan Gullett of Cedar Rapids and Cody Gullett of Roseville, California. His daughter-in-law, Maria Jose “Majo” Gullett, is married to Cody.
Larry worked in the conservation and environmental field for 46 years for four county conservation boards and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. During his career, he served on the Iowa DNR Water Trails Advisory Committee, IDALS Watershed Improvement Review Board and IDOT Living Roadway Trust Fund Technical Advisory Committee. He also served as a board member of Iowa Rivers Revival and was the habitat program coordinator for the Dallas County chapter of Pheasants Forever.
Larry’s career focused on developing and implementing ecological restoration projects that improved landscape health and strengthened human connection with the environment. His most precious career accomplishment was founding and implementing the Prairie Awakening Native American Gathering in Dallas County that brought at least 10 indigenous tribes from the Midwest and Canada together in celebration of the earth.
Larry was later the primary facilitator for a project that transferred seven acres of land to the Ioway Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska — a returning of land to the Ioway people after a 190-year absence from Iowa.
Larry was very proud of his Native American name, Kta Keya (Killer Turtle).
He was especially happy that his boys established a strong connection to the earth, and he experienced many wilderness trips with them to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, Yosemite National Park and Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada.
Larry is survived by his wife, Connie; children, Ryan and Cody; daughter-in-law, Majo; mother, Margaret Gullett of Newton; brothers, Gary and Liz Gullett of Byron, Illinois, David Gullett and Lori Nebelsick-Gullett of Castle Rock, Colorado, and Mark Gullett of Fort Collins, Colorado; father-in-law and mother-in-law, John “Art” and Elaine Ryan of Newton; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Mike and Sandy Ryan of New Sharon, Iowa, Teresa Ryan of Des Moines and Pat and Joni Ryan of Knoxville; daughter-in-law’s parents, Jose Rosado and Lupita Cupul of Merida, Mexico; as well as many nieces and nephews and other family and friends.
Larry is preceded in death by his father, Clifford Dean Gullett of Grand Marais, Minnesota.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Gullett family in care of Connie Gullett. Memorials will be donated to charities and causes that were important to Larry, such as the Iowa Rivers Revival, Nature Conservancy, St. Thomas More Church and Iowa City Hospice Inc. The family wishes to thank all those who helped celebrate Larry’s life and continue to support his immediate family.
