Larry Niemeyer

Larry Niemeyer

Cedar Rapids

Larry Niemeyer, 84, passed away on July 21, 2022, at UnityPoint-St. Luke’s Hospital in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. A visitation will be held from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, July 31, 2022, at the Jefferson High School gymnasium. A funeral service will take place at 10 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 1, 2022, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service in Cedar Rapids. A livestream of the funeral service may be accessed on the funeral home website tribute page for Larry, under “photos and videos,” starting at 10 a.m. Monday, Aug. 1, 2022. Entombment will follow at the Linwood Cemetery Mausoleum in Cedar Rapids.

Larry was born on Sept. 15, 1937, in Burlington, Iowa, to Marjorie and Harvey Niemeyer. He attended Western Illinois University where he studied to become a teacher. This decision led him to Adel, Iowa, for his first teaching job, a move that would impact the rest of his life.

Known as Coach or Mr. Niemeyer to many, he enjoyed 52 years as a teacher and coach at both Adel and Cedar Rapids Jefferson. He coached girls’ basketball, softball, track, and cross country. One of the highlights of Larry’s career was having his daughters play for him and each one of his children serve as assistant coach alongside him. Larry was the winningest high school softball coach in the nation at both Adel and Jefferson and served on many committees with the IGHSAU and IGCA. He enjoyed spending time with other coaches and furthering the success of girls’ athletics in Iowa. He treasured the relationships he had with former athletes, keeping in touch with many of them years later. He enjoyed attending state tournaments and organizing the annual Jack North softball tournament as well as the IGCA all-star game, which is now named after him.

Larry was a lifelong devoted Cubs fan and rarely missed a televised game. He enjoyed traveling to Chicago and Arizona for spring training to watch them. One of his best moments was throwing out the first pitch at Wrigley in 2016, the year the Cubs won the World Series. Larry also loved watching the Chicago Bears and Iowa Hawkeyes with his family and beloved dog, MJ.

The only thing Larry loved more than the Cubs and coaching, was his wife and family. He and Gwen were married on Dec. 20, 1969, and had four children. They spent the last few years following their grandsons in their sports and activities. Being a dad and grandpa were Larry’s greatest joys. Larry loved to spend his free time attending local softball and basketball games and enjoying quiet evenings at home with his wife, Gwen.

Larry will be dearly missed by his wife, Gwen; children, Nancee Waterbury (Ryan), Noreen Thurston, Nick Niemeyer and Natalie Niemeyer-Lorenz (Matt); and grandchildren, Mason and Lewis Waterbury, Charlie and Harry Thurston, and Olivia Lorenz.

Larry will always be remembered for not only the impact that he had on his own family, but the impact that he had on thousands of students, athletes and their families, coaches and officials.

Please share a memory of Larry at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.