He was raised on a dairy and row crop farm near Durant, graduating from high school in 1959 with thoughts of moving back to Cedar County and taking over the operation.
Although he never made it back home to take over the daily milking and farming of the home place after graduating from Iowa State in 1965, Larry McHone did have a very successful career in Agriculture.
Larry did his graduate work at Iowa State in Plant and Animal Genetics. It was this graduate work that led him to start his own company: McHone Seed Company. His company was located in Gilbert and specialized in popcorn seed. Larry owned the company for 37 years. When he married Marty, his bride of 29 years, she joined him as a partner in the business. When Marty lost her battle to ovarian cancer in 2002, Larry sold the business and “took his show” on the road.
Larry has traveled the United States and several foreign countries to judge Dairy Cattle; to help others grow seed corn or to officiate track and field competition.
He is in charge of the World Dairy Expo Ethics Committee in Madison, Wisconsin as well as doing the same for The Royal Canadian Winter Fair in Toronto, Canada.
He is a consultant for several Seed Corn Companies in Puerto Rico during the Winter Research growing season. But it is Larry McHone’s love of kids and athletics that has led him to almost 50 years of officiating. Larry had been a member of the Boy’s Association for 49 years and the Girls Union for 47. He was a high school football official for 39 years including 3 state championship games.
He has been involved with the Iowa Games since its inception. As a Cross Country official Larry has started 48 different conference meets and 32 district and/or regional meets. He has been one of the starters for the state meet since 1984.
In Track and Field, Larry has carried a Superior rating for 26 years. He has started over 100 conference meets, 31 girls’ regional meets, 36 boys’ district meets and 22 state meets.
Larry has been a member of the Drake Relays Committee for 9 years and a Drake Relays official for 11. He has also worked the Relays as a starter and currently serves as a University/College Referee.
He has been an official for Iowa State University in many capacities over the years and has worked 7 NCAA Outdoor championships and 2 indoors. Larry has been involved with USATF as a Master Official since 1981. USATF has taken him to 27 states and 2 foreign countries. He has worked 5 US Championship meets and1 Olympic Trials.
Larry is very proud to have worked local and state USATF youth meets for more than 40 years, and when available he will be at every Special Olympics event he can get to.
Larry is the proud father of 3 children. Nick lives in Wisconsin and is the Vice President of TREK Bicycle Company. He and his wife Jill have 2 children. Shannon is an Environmentalist and JH Cross Country coach in Massachusetts and has 3 children. Molly and husband James are high school teachers in Virginia and have 2 children. Molly is also a high school track coach.