Larry Ray Nixon was born August 2, 1947, in Fayetteville, Arkansas, to Jim Mac and Carles Kathryn Nixon.
He is survived by his wife, Crissa Wright Nixon; daughter and son-in-law, Jennifer and Mike Valdez; grandsons, Trevor, Jake, and Josh Thurman, and Bailey Williams; stepson, Britt Barnes; stepdaughter and son-in-law, Yalonda and Ryan Pinnell; step-granddaughters, Zaylie and Zariah Pinnell; Lauren and Renee Powell; Devin and Harley Valdez along with extended family and many lifelong friends. Raised in Northwest Arkansas, Larry learned early the value of hard work, family, and helping others. Much of his childhood was spent with his grandparents on Bear Mountain, where he learned farming, hunting, fishing, gardening, and the skills of working with his hands.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Jim Mac Nixon and Carles Kathryn Patrick Nixon and his brother, Charles “Buzz” Nixon.
A lifelong baseball enthusiast, Larry played throughout his youth and later spent 27 years coaching youth baseball and many years as a certified umpire and instructor. He also proudly worked the chains for Fayetteville High School football for 41 years.
Larry served two tours with the U.S. Navy, including service in Vietnam at Cam Ranh Bay. After returning home in 1970, he began a 40-year career in construction. Starting as a carpenter and following the example of his father, a master carpenter, Larry eventually became a company partner and manager with Nabholz Construction and served in leadership roles with the Associated Builders and Contractors and local Chamber of Commerce. He took great pride in helping build schools, hospitals, churches, public buildings, businesses, and other structures throughout Northwest Arkansas. He had a strong faith and is a member of UBC in Fayetteville. For many years, he played the trumpet in the orchestra at UBC.
Larry was deeply committed to his community and served with the American Legion, Sons of the Confederate Veterans, Sons of Union Veterans of Civil War, Sons of the American Revolution, Sons of American Legion Post 29 Siloam Springs, American Legion Post 27 Fayetteville, American Legion Post 29 Riders Siloam Springs, Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association, Jaycees, and he served on the Board of Hester’s Cemetery Association as President from 2015-2024. He also devoted many years to researching and preserving his family’s genealogy.
Family was the greatest joy of Larry’s life. In 1994 he met Crissa Wright Nixon, his soulmate and lifelong partner. They married in 2000 and shared a life filled with family, fishing, golf, motorcycles, gardening, travel, and countless adventures.
Larry loved the outdoors and never lost his adventurous spirit. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, gardening, motorcycles, boating, shooting, collecting, restoring old tools, and passing those skills along to his grandchildren.
Larry said, “If you don’t practice the proper fundamentals and practice at being in position to field a ground ball, it will usually go between your legs. And you can’t catch a fish, kill a deer, if you are not out there fishing or hunting. And when rounding third base, plan on sliding into home plate headfirst, with all you have left in you.”
After 79 years, Larry’s race has been run. He leaves behind a lifetime of memories, a family who loved him, and countless people whose lives he touched.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to be made to Bo’s Blessings, P.O. Box 8558, Springdale, AR 72766, and Combat Veterans Motorcycle Club (CVMA AR 7-2) online.
The funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. at the Fayetteville National Cemetery on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. The burial will follow at Hester Cemetery.