Larkin Earl Conatser

Larkin (Lark) departed on his final deployment January 3, 2026, aged 82 years young, a culmination of several physical trauma injuries suffered throughout his adult life. He was born in September, 1943, at Malvern, AR, to B.B. and T. Emily Conatser, who shortly thereafter moved to Long Beach, CA where his dad helped build steam power plants in Liberty Ships as part of the war effort. Following the war and after a short stint back in AR, the family moved to Elgin, OR, where Lark grew up and graduated from High School. It was there that he excelled as an athlete and met his future bride, DeeAnn (Ann) Scoubes. Immediately following graduating, Lark joined and departed for the Marines at MCRD, San Diego. There he finished Boot Camp earning the distinction of Honor Man of his platoon, which included a promotion to PFC, at graduation. Jump School and earning the coveted gold parachute wings followed and he then joined 1st Air-Naval Gunfire Liaison Company as part of a jump qualified Forward Air Control Team stationed in Hawaii. Subsequent deployment to Vietnam found him using his training, primarily in the country’s southern river deltas, for the next year. Returning to the US and assignment to NC, he was caught up in the involuntarily extension imposed on all servicemen as a result of the SE Asia hostilities. It was at that point that he and DeeAnn married in March, 1966. Following his discharge from the Marines as a Sergeant (E-5), the newly married couple returned to Elgin where Lark commenced college studies at EOCE, now Eastern Oregon University. Deciding to return to the Marines, Lark joined their PLC program and was commissioned a 2nd Lt., USMC, upon graduation from EOCE in 1971. Training at Quantico, VA, and FT. Still, OK, followed, after which NE, Japan and Washington, DC, filled a 30 year career, ending with hi retirement as a “bird” Colonel, USMC, in 2001. Commands at Company, Squadron, and Expeditionary Unit levels filled those years, with schools in Monterey, CA, Quanitco, VA, and the Naval War College, Newport RI, interspersed among them. His tours as the Director, Depot Maintenance Activity, Barstow, CA, and the Chief of Staff, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, and Marine Corps Bases, Japan, were especially significant. However, Lark believed his penultimate assignment was as the first US Marine to be assigned as one of the three rotating teams as Team Commander on the United States National Emergency Airborne Command Post, a USAF B-747, and its crew, based at Offut AFB, NE. Transitioning to civilian life found Lark employed by the US Department of Justice as a Program Manager for automotive components remanufacturing within the Federal Prison System, and living in a Maryland suburb of Washington DC. Retiring again from the DOJ, Lark and Annie chose to move to a SC of Charlotte, NC, but were eventually drawn back to their home state of Oregon. As luck would have it they arrived in a fierce winter snow storm during the New Year holiday of 2017. Nonetheless, they moved in and lived happily in their Bend home entertained by the wildlife and the joy of landscaping and improving their surroundings. Church activities, travel and time with extended family members and old friends were especially meaningful. Their travels took them to Europe (several times), Alaska, Iceland, Hawaii and New Zealand, plus several wonderful cruises, the most notable being to the Antarctic Peninsula/Cape Horn/Falkland Islands and later to Norway including Svalbard. Iceland and especially New Zealand were their favorite self driving land tours. Lark is survived by his lovely wife of 60 years, DeeAnn, daughters Amy Urrestta (Tom) and Lee, granddaughters Ivy and Sadie, grandson Nate, brother Bernie (Nancy) and sister Diane Carter (Leonard), niece Lori Hyde (Robert), nephew Bernie (Yvonne) and niece Remy Carter. At his request, no services are planned and his ashes will be spread over the forests where he loved to hunt in Easter Oregon. Donations in Larkin’s memory may be made to Warrior StoryField, warriorstoryfield.org, helping returning veteran warriors reconnect to community, or, Save a Warrior, saveawarrior.org, helping troubled veteran warriors combat thoughts of suicide.

Tributes

Larkin Earl Conatser

September 19, 1943 - January 3, 2026