Larry Karl Matlock

Larry was born on February 3, 1942 in Ben Hur, Arkansas and grew up in Linden, California, where he attended grade school and high school before graduating in 1959 from Alonzo Stagg High School in Stockton, California. He attended Stockton College and received his MBA at Columbia Pacific College in 1980.

Larry was preceded in death by his father Elmer Matlock, mother Geneva, brothers Jack and Joe Matlock, and son Kelly.

Larry met Colene Jordan in the summer of 1960, and she quickly became the love of his life. They were married June 16, 1961. They immediately started building their first home on Linden Road and welcomed their son Kelly on March 12, 1962.

Larry soon became the youngest manager of a radio station while working at KWG in Stockton. He went on to manage KFRC radio in San Francisco, taking his family to the Bay Area. He was the producer of the Howard Ruff Show in the early 1980s, where he met several celebrity notables, including Ronald Reagan and George Bush Sr.

Larry later opened a mortgage banking company in Danville and held a California Real Estate license. He also authored a book in 1980, Who’s Who in Hard Money Economics.

Larry was a distinguished pilot and flew his own plane for many years; flying was the second love of his life. He received The Wright Brothers Master’s Pilot aviation award for more than 50 years of flying. Other hobbies included horseback riding, ballet, ballroom dancing, and travelling the world with more than 64 cruises! Through his love of dancing, he and Colene made many trips to Argentina to learn the authentic way of performing the Argentine Tango, which they demonstrated at their great niece’s wedding in 2022. Larry was also an excellent chef and wine connoisseur. He was a member of the Beech Talk pilot club and the Porsche club.

Through his love for horses, Larry moved from the Bay Area to Lathrop, California to build Willow Lake Farms on the San Joaquin Delta front, where he had a horse arena and equestrian center, teaching riding lessons and jumping. He hosted the Budweiser Clydesdales on several occasions. He also built and ran a small Bed & Breakfast in Baja California for several years before retiring in 2003 to Stockton, California, where he resided with his wife Colene until 2022. They have since lived in Aguila, Arizona at the Eagle’s Roost Airpark, in Roseburg, Oregon and finally moved to Eagle, Idaho in April 2024.

Larry and Colene were married for almost 64 years. He is survived by his wife Colene, grandchildren Jessica Matlock of Sacramento, Jordan Matlock of Reno, nieces Tammy (Jim) Andrews of Boise, Sheila Jordan (Matt), sister-in-law Carol (Mike) of Elkton, great nieces Audrey Andrews (Andrew) of Salt Lake City, Amber Andrews of Boise, and nephew Kevin Matlock of Texas.

Casting arrangements are being handled by the Neptune Society. Final internment will be in the San Francisco Bay.

Memorial will be private.