Friends of Larry Makoben say he was a man who could be found almost everywhere in the Quad Cities.
The 83-year-old Bettendorf man – a retired banker in the community – helped welcome new businesses, was a volunteer on many boards and did many jobs, big and small, to help improve the Quad Cities.
“He was a great ambassador for the entire Quad Cities, not just Bettendorf,” Decker Ploehn, Bettendorf city administrator, told the QCBJ recently, shortly after learning about Mr. Makoben’s death.
Mr. Makoben died Wednesday, Jan. 17, at UnityPoint Health in Bettendorf. A service to celebrate his life will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, at the Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center, 2021 State St., Bettendorf. The visitation will be 2-6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24, also at the downtown Waterfront.
He is survived by wife, Carolyn; his daughter, Jennifer Lopez in Florida; his son, Eric (Linda) Makoben of Elk Grove Village, Illinois; and other family members.
“He was a tireless volunteer and devoted countless hours to the betterment of Bettendorf. It seemed that wherever help was needed, Larry was there,” according to his obituary. (His complete obituary can be found here.) McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home, Bettendorf, is in charge of arrangements.
According to his obituary, Mr. Makoben was a banker for many years. His career took him from the Bettendorf Bank, Northwest Bank, Wells Fargo Bank and ultimately, the IH Mississippi Valley Credit Union, where he retired several years ago.
“You would literally see Larry everywhere. … Larry spent a lot of time giving his time and talents to the community,” said Bettendorf Mayor Bob Gallagher, who knew Mr. Makoben for more than 25 years.
The mayor added that Mr. Makoben was an “icon in Bettendorf” who volunteered on many committees and helped many worthy projects through the Quad Cities.
“He was always there … with a smile on his face,” Mr. Gallagher said.
Mr. Ploehn said the late Bettendorf man was a friend who could be counted on to help many people and organizations throughout the community. The Bettendorf community recognized his efforts last summer when they named him the grand marshal of the city’s Fourth of July Parade. In announcing the honor, city officials said Mr. Makoben has served on these boards and groups, to name just a few:
- Bettendorf Park Board chairman for 22 years.
- QC Morning Optimist Club member.
- Quad Cities Chamber of Commerce member.
- Bettendorf Fourth of July Committee member for 25 years.
- Board of Directors and founding member of Bettendorf Business Network.
During his many years helping the QC Chamber, he was a member of that group’s Ambassadors organization. The Ambassadors are “highly visible advocates for the Chamber and often serve as the first point of contact for members celebrating their business success through ribbon cuttings and groundbreakings,” according to the QC Chamber.
“The news of Larry’s passing was nothing short of devastating to everyone at the Quad Cities Chamber. … Everyone knew Larry. We will all miss him more than words can express,” Terri Smith, the chamber’s event coordinator, said in an emailed statement to the QCBJ.
On Monday morning, Jan. 22, the Chamber Ambassadors were busy welcoming another new business to the community – Hometown Chiropractic at 3536 Jersey Ridge Road, Davenport. Several members of the Ambassadors noted that this event felt somewhat odd because it was one of the few ribbon-cutting events they have ever attended that did not include Mr. Makoben.
“He was a great volunteer. … He was everywhere. We are going to miss him,” Ms. Smith said at the Monday ceremony.
Many people throughout the community knew Mr. Makoben because of his presence at those ribbon-cutting ceremonies and other events to welcome new businesses to the Quad Cities. One of those people was Tushar Patel, a local businessman and the chair of the QC Chamber Ambassadors, who said they shared a 12-year friendship.
“Even in retirement, Larry actively participated in numerous community service volunteer activities, showcasing his admirable dedication to making a positive impact on the community. … Our friendship was characterized by shared experiences and lighthearted banter, especially about Iowa Hawkeye basketball (his favorite) and my love for Duke basketball. These exchanges were a constant source of joy for us,” Mr. Patel said in an email to the QCBJ.
Others who knew Mr. Makoben called him a man who you could always count on to get a job done, and a man who loved the Quad Cities.
Here are some of the comments made about Mr. Makoben in the past few days:
- “We are all saddened by Larry’s passing. He was a great convener of people, and I will always admire that about him. Every time Larry was at an event, a golf outing, a committee meeting, or a ribbon cutting, Larry would light up the room with his warm and genuine smile. People gravitated to Larry because he was such a fun loving and joyful person. I am so appreciative of the time I had with him and the opportunities I had to serve with him. Larry is on Bettendorf’s Mt. Rushmore, and we are all better for knowing him and having him in our lives.” – Jeff Reiter, assistant city administrator for Bettendorf.
- “He loved the City of Bettendorf, and the City of Bettendorf loved him. Larry was everywhere. When you walked into a meeting, he was sitting there .. with a smile on his face.” – Jeff Hill, Realtor with Realty ONE Group, and member of the Bettendorf Business Network.
- “Larry was that smiling face I always looked for at events. He made you feel like you were welcome and that he was happy you were there. I appreciate that small act of kindness.” – Lyn Lear, vice president at Old National Bank, Davenport.
“Larry left an indelible mark on the City of Bettendorf and even though he has left us, his work and love for his community will live on well into the future,” according to his obituary.
