Larry Wynia, age 81, a longtime member of the Annandale community, went to be with Jesus on September 14, 2026. Surrounded by family and friends, Larry passed away at St. Cloud Hospital after a sudden illness. His stubbornness and fighting spirit stayed with him until his final moments.

Memorial Services will be held 11:00 a.m. Monday, September 21, 2026, at Annandale United Methodist Church with visitation one hour prior. Pastor Cyndy Spear and Fr. Tom Roy will officiate. In honor of Larry's lifelong love of the Minnesota Gophers, the family encourages those attending his funeral to wear their favorite Minnesota Gophers attire. In lieu of flowers, consider making a donation in Larry's memory to a favorite youth sports team or to St. Mark's Episcopal Church.

Larry was a character, and he was determined to live a full life. He approached life through the eyes of someone half his age, always planning the next chapter. He frequently reminded everyone, "I am not old". He spent much of his final summer working on a path through the family woods.

Larry grew up in Cokato, Minnesota, and later attended the University of Minnesota. He loved the U and would proudly recite the Minnesota Rouser whenever given the opportunity. He followed every Gopher team and had countless stories to share about his days there. During his senior year at the U, he entered the military, joining the Minnesota Army National Guard.

Larry was a storyteller. Some stories were true, some imagined, and some embellished, but all were told with his unique sense of humor, flair, and perspective. As the years went on, the stories grew in grandeur.

He was also a businessman. He spent many years with IBM, a career that took his young family from Champlin, Minnesota to Geneseo, Illinois, and Buffalo, New York. The family always returned to their Minnesota lake cabin which eventually became their permanent home in 1980. Larry later worked for several years in management in St. Cloud and spent the years before his retirement working in the audiology field.

Larry loved his family, his friends, the lake, the woods, the Wright County Swappers Meet, cribbage, golf, and just about every other sport he could watch or participate in. Even on his last day here on earth, his fantasy football team came out ahead and the Vikings won.

He believed in being part of his community. He served on the Annandale School Board and the board of Annandale United Methodist Church, where he was a lay reader. He assisted Doris volunteering at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, and this past summer served there as a bell ringer and communion assistant.

Larry loved playing baseball and softball, he played on school, church and town teams, and in recent years, on an area senior team. Holiday cribbage games were a family tradition, and everyone learned to appreciate Larry's own unique interpretation of what did and did not constitute cheating. He was invariably the last person willing to stop playing and often had to be reminded that it was time to go home, even as he insisted on "just one more game."

He coached many of his children's sports teams as they grew up and rarely, if ever, missed his grandchildren's games or activities. He was also known to have advice for each of his grandchildren's coaches, whether they asked for it or not.

When he wasn't involved in a sport, Larry loved swimming, and fishing on the small family lake that became part of his family's legacy after he married the love of his life, Doris, in 1966. The lake, the woods, and the home they created there remained at the center of his life.

He is survived by his children, Lisa and Randy Knick, Chad and Debbi Wynia, and Heather and Phil Neenan, all of Minnesota; his grandchildren, Sawyer and Kayden Knick, Siera Knick, Addison Knick (Dan), Brock Knick (Isabelle), Sydney Wynia, Natalie Wynia, Finley Neenan, and Evan Neenan; and his great-granddaughter, Carter Jean Knick; his special favorite little sister, Julie (Dale) Burau; his sister-in-law, Elsie Wynia; many nieces and nephews; and his best friend, Chuck Bergee. Larry was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Doris Jean Wynia (Peterson); his older brother, Harold Wynia; and his parents, Jake and Velda Wynia.

Arrangements are entrusted to Dingmann Funeral Care Burial and Cremation Services of Annandale.

Obituary, Guestbook, Video Tribute, and Funeral Webcast online at www.dingmannfuneral.com