“I can confidently send Lee Larson to fix any plumbing challenge. He’ll get after it, and get things done,” said Luke Dumler, McElroy’s plumbing service manager. “Lee’s been in the field a long time – both in commercial construction and in service plumbing – so his experience is very versatile. If Lee needs help coming to a solution, he’ll ask the right questions and work it out.” We’re honoring Lee Larson, McElroy’s plumber, for his 10^th anniversary with McElroy’s on August 31, 2025. We appreciate Lee for his dedication to the highest standard of craftsmanship, and his creative thinking that helps him provide valuable plumbing solutions.

School Years

Lee is originally from Manhattan, Kansas. At Manhattan High School, he was good at math and excelled in sports – as a wrestler and defensive-line football player. Lee attended Hutchinson Junior College for a year on a football scholarship as a middle linebacker. He went on to earn an associate degree from Manhattan Area Technical College in computer-aided design (CAD). “Growing up, I enjoyed building things, like putting furniture together. So, the construction field was interesting to me,” Lee said. “Learning CAD seemed like a good way to get my foot in the door.”

Drafting & Field Work

Lee’s degree led to a drafting position with a Manhattan mechanical contractor. “After about a year, I applied for a different drafting job in Manhattan, but I came in second for that position,” Lee said. “The company offered me a job as a field tech instead. That was okay because I’d discovered I didn’t really like staring at a screen all day anyway. Plus, field work helped me better understand how everything I’d been drafting actually goes together.” Lee worked for that firm for about three years, and then worked in the field for a few other Manhattan companies. He did big projects at Fort Riley, the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, and Kansas State University. During that time, Lee joined the plumbers and pipefitters union and started his apprenticeship.

McElroy’s

Lee was between projects when McElroy’s needed plumbing help on a Kansas State job, and Lee signed on. He worked at KSU for three months, and then McElroy’s asked Lee to join the plumbing service team. Shortly after, he turned out as a journeyman plumber. “Service work involves smaller projects than construction does, but you generally do them on your own,” Lee explained. “You’re accountable, of course, but you’re also your own boss at each job location. I like putting my experience to work, figuring things out in my own ways. I enjoy showing the customer what the issue is, and telling them how I’d fix it if it was my own house or business.”

Stress Reducer

“I started at McElroy’s just a few months after Lee did. His construction experience made him very knowledgeable from the beginning,” said Keith Gerisch, McElroy’s service plumber. “One of Lee’s strengths is that he’s very good at talking with customers. Sometimes McElroy’s gets a call when another company has screwed up the assignment, and the customer is stressed out. Lee comes in, takes the time to assess the situation, and explains his solution in a way that calms the customer down. Not everyone does that as well!”

Construction/Service

Lee still occasionally works on the McElroy’s commercial construction team. Most recently, he helped with construction of the Stormont Vail Health Manhattan Campus. “That was a year-long assignment, and it was great to be part of a team like that again,” Lee said. “There’s a camaraderie you enjoy when you work with a band of field techs on a major build.” When it was over, though, Lee was glad to get back to the service side of plumbing. “Every day is something different and challenging. It’s surprising how appreciative service customers can be. If someone has a clogged main pipe, and they can’t use any of their water fixtures, that’s disastrous for a home or business. Take care of it, and you’re their hero! That’s a rewarding feeling.”

Well-Rounded

“Lee is a hard worker, and very intelligent,” said Junior Barajas, a service plumber who will celebrate 20 years with McElroy’s this December. “Lee’s well-rounded background in both construction and service is very helpful whenever we put our heads together to troubleshoot a plumbing challenge. If I’m calling him, or he’s calling me, any question is fair game. We can work it out. Lee is also a dedicated family man. I enjoy hearing about his kids’ athletic achievements – especially wrestling. In addition to being a wrestler, Lee learned Ju-Jitsu and was a competitive mixed martial artist for a while. Although he doesn’t compete anymore, he helps coach his son’s and his daughter’s wrestling teams.”

Family Life

Lee and his wife Ariel met in high school. They were married in 2010 and currently live in North Topeka. Ariel, a certified nursing assistant, works in the Seaman school district as a pre-school para for special needs kids. Their 14-year-old daughter, Avalyn, plays volleyball and has been wrestling for seven years. She also is involved in theater and is an accomplished artist. “She has notebooks and notebooks of great sketches,” Lee said. “Our son, Titan, is 11 and he’s all about sports. He wrestles, plays baseball and football.” The family enjoys weekend getaways and recently attended a Kansas City Royals game. Titan was asked to compete in the “Hot Dog Race” as the “Relish” contestant – and he won!

Awesome

“I worked for several companies before coming to McElroy’s, and there is a big difference here,” Lee said. “It’s like a big family, helping each other out. The ladies in dispatch do a superb job of scheduling and handling customer contact. Luke Dumler is my go-to guy when I need answers, and all the other techs will do their best to lend a helping hand as needed. Everyone here is awesome to work with.” We at McElroy’s think Lee Larson is awesome, too. His depth and breadth of experience make him a creative thinker when he meets a plumbing challenge. And his dedication to expert craftsmanship means his solutions will look and work great. We’re very pleased that Lee has settled in with the McElroy’s working family, and we hope he’ll remain a key contributor for a very long time!