John Alfred (Jack) Larson passed away Monday, November 28, 2016, in Cheyenne, Wyoming at age 92. He was born October 28, 1924, the son of John Ephraim Larson and Florence Isabel Gibbs.
As a young man, he enjoyed working with horses, and earned pocket money breaking them to ride. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on December 31, 1942, and served three years, two months, and four days, discharged as a Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class on February 13, 1946. His main duty station while in the service was in Waimanalo, Hawaii, as a member of Standard Landing Craft Unit (SLCU) 12. Waimanalo was designated an Amphibious Training Base, and John spent much of his time training U.S. Navy personnel to operate LCMs (Landing Craft Mechanized).
He married Mary Lou Mather on June 27, 1947, and they spent the early part of their marriage in Newcastle, Wyoming, where his mother’s family lived. After a short time, they moved back to Wallace County, where he worked as a dairy farmer. During his lifetime, some of his activities involved participating in the 7th Cavalry Drill team, serving on the ASCS Committee, Fair Board, Mountain Empire Dairyman’s Association, and he enjoyed bowling on Tuesday nights. He and Mary Lou retired from dairy farming and moved back to Newcastle in 1987. While retired, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, carpentry, woodworking, and leathercraft, as well as playing cards with relatives.
He is survived by son Larry Larson (Sherry Larson) of Oak Grove, Missouri, and daughter Mary Anne Larson (Chris Roger) of Arvada, Colorado; sisters Ellen Larson Huffman (Jack Huffman, deceased) of Thornton, Colorado, Lois Larson Fischer Wiles (Earl Wiles) of Leoti, Kansas, Elizabeth (Betty) Larson (Kenneth Schreiber) of Laguna Hills, California, brothers: Joseph Larson of Manhattan, Kansas, and Richard Larson of Thornton, Colorado. He was preceded in death by Father John Ephraim Larson and Mother Florence Isabel Gibbs, Stepmother Ella DeBeer Larson, sister Margaret Larson Cheney; Brother Floyd Larson; and Brother Paul Larson.
Funeral services for Jack will be held on Monday, December 5, 2016 at 10:30 AM MT at the United Methodist Church in Sharon Springs with Pastor Duncan Ibuuri and Reverend Paul McNall officiating. Burial with Military Honors will take place in the Sharon Springs Cemetery.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, December 4, 2016 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM MT at the Koons-Russell Funeral Home in Sharon Springs.
Memorials may be designated to the John A. Larson memorial fund and may be left at the service or mailed to Koons-Russell Funeral Home, 211 N. Main St., Goodland, Kansas 67735.
Online condolences may be left at www.koonsrussellfuneralhome.com.
Funeral service arrangements were entrusted to the Koons-Russell Funeral Home in Sharon Springs.