Larry Ernest Rayhill, Jr. passed away on Monday, July 14, 2025.  He was born on Saturday, August 31, 1974 in Charleston, West Virginia to Larry Ernest Rayhill, Sr. & Phyllis Jean (Legg) Rayhill.  He spent most of his life in West Virginia where he grew up with his cousins that meant the world to him. He grew up fishing and camping on the New River Gorge, one of his most favorite places to be. He loved hunting the mountains with his brothers, and learned how to work on cars and watched Nascar in his late uncle Robert Leggs garage. He moved to Lubbock around 2010, where he spent the rest of his life. Soon after moving to Texas, and settling in Lubbock, he met and fell in love with Debra Sampson Wells.  They married and spent fifteen wonderful years together until she preceded him in death.

Larry was a man who used his hands as the tools of his trade.  He worked in maintenance for a few apartment complexes for all of his years while living in Lubbock. You could have a car issue or something could happen with a piece of equipment that was not working right, whatever the issue was, he was always there to lend a hand and help fix whatever needed to be done. Larry had a work ethic that was like no other.

Larry in every sense of the word was a down home country boy. He loved to hunt and fish, he also had a love for Nascar.  He loved to be out at the deer lease, where he taught the children of his friends, not only how to hunt, but he taught them how to process and prepare the bounty of his harvest. He would make deer jerky each year after deer season and share with anybody who would like to try some. We have literally seen him prop himself on the outdoor couch and build a fire in the fire pit and not even bother to go inside the house. Larry was rugged and loved the feeling of nature around him.

Those of us who were privileged to call Larry our family had the honor of watching him become an uncle to our kids. He was a big lovable teddy bear when it came to the kids. Larry also enjoyed the simple things in life. In April of this year, Larry fulfilled his dream of seeing a Nascar race at the Texas Motor Speedway with his next door neighbor Rene and talked about it for weeks after.

Larry is survived by his cousins whom he called his brothers, George (Willy) Legg and family of  Poca, Shawn Legg & family of Elkview and Marion Anderson and family of Charleston, West VIrginia, as well as extended family members. He is also survived by his extended family in Lubbock, TX. This includes Lonnie & Averie Stroud and family. Stan, Brandon and Shawn Hughes and family, his next door neighbor, Rene Sanchez and his dear friends Harold Hubbard, Shawn Hutson and Ned Holt.
He served as an Uncle to many kids, including Kaelie, Lannie & Bella Stroud; Zayne Sires, Garrett Hughes and Kimberly Hughes.

Larry leaves a huge hole in a lot of hearts and will be greatly missed by anyone he ever met. He had a wonderful heart, the best hugs and an amazing smile that could brighten anyone's day.

In accordance with Larry's last wish, he chose to be cremated and asked that his ashes be spread in the places he loved, both growing up in West Virginia and in Texas where he lived out his life.  All arrangements were handled by the professionals at Bartley Funeral Home of Plainview.  We will celebrate the life of Larry Rayhill on Sunday, August 31, 2025 at 2:00p.m  in the Bartley Memorial Chapel.  Rev. Keemydrick Mackey will officiate.  We will hold a reception following the service to honor, reminisce and celebrate Larry's fifty-first birthday.  Memories and stories of Larry may be shared in the guestbook which can be found at www.bartleyfuneralhome.net

Larry, from all of us that love you, happy trails, enjoy the hunting up there and as always, watch over those of us who will meet you on the other side.