Lawrence M. Fodor

Lawrence Martin Fodor (“Larry”) was born on December 1, 1937, in Cleveland, Ohio, to Martin Fodor and Gladys Fodor (née Schwan). He earned his undergraduate degree from Western Reserve University in 1959 and went on to receive a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Cornell University in 1963. During his time at Cornell, he met Wilda Story; the two were married in Ithaca, New York, in 1962. In 1963, Larry and Wilda relocated to Bartlesville, Oklahoma, where they raised their three children and shared forty years of marriage. Larry enjoyed a distinguished 35-year career as a polymer chemist with Phillips Petroleum Company, during which he was awarded more than thirty patents. Beyond his professional accomplishments, Larry pursued a wide range of interests. He was an avid gardener, a devoted reader of nonfiction, and a lifelong student of geography and history. He also enjoyed woodworking, running, and cooking. Early in his career, he was a member of the Philtones, Phillips Petroleum’s traveling choir, and he later served as choir director at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Bartlesville for fifty-two years, with Wilda as his accompanist. In retirement, Larry traveled extensively abroad and cherished time spent vacationing with his extended family. In his later years, he faced Parkinson’s disease and briefly relocated to his son’s home in Michigan to receive additional support. Larry passed away on April 22 in Rochester, Michigan, and was received into the presence of his Savior, Jesus Christ. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Wilda (2002); his companion, Nina Hart (2026); and his sister, Marilyn Bartos. He is survived by his brother, Alan Fodor of Cleveland, Ohio; his son, Martin Fodor and his wife, Pamela, of Catoosa, Oklahoma; his son, Michael Fodor and his wife, Karen, of Bruce Township, Michigan; and his daughter, Sharon Marr and her husband, Michael, of Waltham, Massachusetts. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Aaron Bell and family; Lauren Turner and her husband, Randy; and Hunter Fodor, all of Tulsa, Oklahoma; Paul Fodor, Katherine Fodor, and Kimberly Fodor of Michigan; and Scarlett Marr and Cooper Marr of Waltham, Massachusetts. He is further survived by his great-grandson, Aaron J. Bell of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Larry will be remembered for his generosity, his Christian faith, and his devotion to his family. Come and go visitation will be 10-8 p.m. and the family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, May 1st at Davis Family Funeral Home & Crematory – Walker Brown Chapel, 4201 Nowata Rd., Bartlesville. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 2nd at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Bartlesville. Services are under the direction of Carter Davis and the Davis Family Funeral Home and Crematory - Walker Brown Chapel. Online condolences and remembrances may be shared at www.DavisFamilyFuneralHome.com

Lawrence M. Fodor

December 1, 1937 - April 22, 2026