Noon Lions remember one of their own

Related Photos

Members of the Weatherford Noon Lions Club show their support for Mangrem, who passed away in December of last year. Mangrem was a force in the community as well as the club, where he served as secretary/treasurer. SALLY SEXTON/DEMOCRAT PHOTO
Mangrem stands with a football autographed by UT head football coach Mack Brown. The gift was presented by the Lions Club during a dedication ceremony for Mangrem October 2011. COURTESY PHOTO

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October 8, 2012

Noon Lions remember one of their own

Sally Sexton CNHI The Weatherford Democrat Mon Oct 08, 2012, 08:00 AM CDT

WEATHERFORD — It’s been almost a year since the Weatherford Noon Lions Club lost one of its finest.

Larry Mangrem passed away Dec. 4 of last year, but his legacy with the Lions and in the community continues to be remembered.

Sunday marked the one-year anniversary of Larry Mangrem Day in Weatherford, as proclaimed by Weatherford Mayor Dennis Hooks.

“His absence, and the impact he had on the community won’t go away,” said Paul Paschall, Lions Club officer. “He was one of the most wonderful men I’ve met in my life.

“I ended up developing a friendship with him outside of Lions Club as well.”

A graduate of Arlington High School and North Texas State University, Mangrem also served in the Army as a platoon leader during basic training and a medic in Vietnam.

He came to Weatherford in 1984, taking on the position of senior vice president and head cashier.

Mangrem was also on several boards in the community, and was known as a die-hard fan of Longhorn football.

“I met Larry when I joined the Crimestoppers Board,” Philip Lapp, a close friend of Mangrem’s since 1999, said. “We quickly became friends and used to enjoy talking football over lunch. He loved UT and I’m an Aggie, so we had plenty of fun with that.”

In October of last year, Lions Club members surprised Mangrem, honoring his image with an awards banquet and light roasting, capped off with a gift of a UT football, autographed by Longhorn head coach Mack Brown.

“Even though we spent a lot of time cracking jokes, over time Larry became a mentor to me,” Lapp said. “He was someone that would notice when a friend needed to take a break, or needed some good advice.

“I did a lot of growing up during the years I knew Larry, from fresh out of college and newly married to becoming a father or two and running a busy financial advisory practice. He saw me through these years and I’ll always consider it a privilege to have known him.”