I Am Wilshire – Larry Link.
Hometown: Muskogee, Oklahoma
Education: BA Sociology/Psychology, Northeastern Oklahoma State University
Profession: Retired minister
Present city: Richardson
Tell us about your family.
On May 29, LaVon and I will celebrate our 59th anniversary; we have three incredible adult children (Katy is a Wilshire member), nine grandchildren, and a new great granddaughter.
Tell us about your work/volunteer life.
I served in six different churches (back and forth across the Red River) for over 52 years, primarily in education ministry. I retired in late 2020.
What are your favorite hobbies?
Fitness (bike and gym), spending time with grandkids and — oh yes — OU athletics.
What are your favorite places to travel?
Colorado, far northwest Washington state, Vermont, and our annual family trip to Seaside, Florida.
What brought you to Wilshire and when?
I’ve known George Mason since 1985, when he and I served on the same church staff for a brief time, but when our daughter, Katy, joined Wilshire with her children, we became very invested in Wilshire, and I knew that when I retired, I would want to be part of this church.
Where are you engaged in Wilshire?
LaVon and I attend Compass Class. I have been fascinated with the involvement in so many mission efforts and causes that need to be addressed in the community.
What do you think God is up to in your life now?
We have moved twice since I retired, so that has consumed my time. I’m still open to God leading me into other areas of ministry. I’ve always felt that we need to be “used up” with our service to God when we take our last breath.
Tell us about your faith journey.
I was baptized in Stillwater, Oklahoma, in the 3rd grade, followed by some rebellious teenage years. But I encountered God in a profound way in my early 20s, soon after LaVon and I married. We became involved in a small group Bible study on weeknights that opened my eyes and heart to God’s word. I experienced a call from God to serve him through his church, and began serving in youth ministry in 1968. I found the ride of my life serving God through those 52 years of ministry.
What’s something interesting most people wouldn’t know about you?
1. I was a juvenile parole officer for the state of Oklahoma before entering ministry.
2. Our older son retired before I did.
What adjectives describe you?
Very informal, high-energy, sense of humor, creative, deep love for our family.
- If you’d like to be featured in “I Am Wilshire,” email Carolyn Murray at cmurray@wilshirebc.org.