Our dearest baby boy, Larry Paul Boatman, died unexpectedly on Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016, at just fourteen months old. A Celebration of Life will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 17, at the Performing Arts Center at Capps Elementary School, 3375 Buckskin Canyon Road in Heber. Larry Paul was born at Navapache Hospital in Show Low on Sept. 23, 2015, the grandson and eighth generation of Arizona ranchers. Words cannot express the love our entire community had for this special angel baby. Larry was the light of our lives and loved by so many. He was a perfect little baby who never cried and had a smile as bright as his red hair. He loved cows. After spending two days at his family’s Richards Ranch, he mooed at every animal he saw. We know the sounds of his little moos will stay with us forever. Heaven must sound a little like the cow pasture since he arrived to be with Jesus and all his grandparents and friends who are there to greet him. Family members who will hold this baby in their hearts and memories forever include his parents, Dirk Allen Kingsley Boatman and Jessica Marie Bastedo; grandparents Paul Kingsley Boatman and Julie Rundle, Kathy Gibson Boatman and Kenneth Leon Garvin, Paul Brian and Lorie Anne Bastedo; great-grandmother Bonnie Constance Gibson, great-grandfather Al and great-grandmother Phyllis Vitous, great-grandfather David Leon and great-grandmother Joann Garvin. Larry Paul’s namesake was Great Uncle Larry Gibson. There are many more cousins, uncles, aunts and friends who treasured this baby. In lieu of flowers we are asking for donations to be given to the Tennessee wildfire victims. We will be shipping a package to Tennessee in honor of little Larry Paul with his Christmas presents and Lasso Larry Cows made by Grandma Lorie Anne Bastedo. Contributions to this effort may be dropped off at the celebration or at the True Value Home Center in Heber by Dec. 19. Silver Creek Mortuary of Taylor was in charge of the arrangements.
