Larry Wayne “Buster” Oustad

Larry Wayne “Buster” Oustad, 85, passed away Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at his home in Arlington.

Services were Tuesday, May 28, at Riley Funeral Home. Burial was in Center Valley Cemetery.

Larry was born Aug. 23, 1938, in Hamilton County, the son of Eula Viola Foller and Martin Edward Oustad. He attended Hamilton High School, where he excelled in sports. He graduated in 1957 and immediately enlisted in the Navy, where he was an electrician/sonar projectionist aboard the USS McGinty.

He married Jimmie Lou Smith July 28, 1962, in Dallas, and they made their home in Arlington. He worked for American Can from 1960 until his retirement in 1986.

Buster loved his wife, and she always came first. The love between them was obvious to all throughout their 62 years of married life.

Family was his priority, and that included his sons as well as nieces and nephews he considered his children. He hauled Boy Scout trailers and set up camps for years while his sons were Scouts and never missed a ballgame for his kids or grandkids.

He loved watching the weather, especially rain, lightning and thunderstorms. He was a tinkerer and could “McGuyver” anything, often even making his own tools. He could look at something, draw a plan and recreate it, only better. He was the family genealogist and compiled albums of history that he shared at family reunions.

He was preceded in death by his parents; nine siblings, Jake Oustad, Lillian Sheard, M.E. Oustad, Margaret Mc-Carty, Billy Oustad, Tom Oustad, Jewel Lucas, Ruby Byrd and Martha Rice; and daughter-in-law Julie Oustad.

Survivors include his loving wife, Jimmie Lou; sons Richard Eric Oustad and Martin Edward Oustad, both of Arlington; grandchildren Ryan Alexander Oustad of Lubbock and Reagan Alyssa Oustad of Conway, Arkansas; special nephew and neighbor Robert Sheard; and many nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers were Eric, Martin, Ryan, Darrell Dean and Marty Oustad and Sherri George. Honorary pallbearers were Robert Sheard and Alvin Ray Smith.