Edwin C. Larson died on Wednesday evening, August 1, 2012, at the Johnson Memorial Care Center in Dawson at the age of 102.
Funeral service was1:00PM, Monday, August 6, 2012, at the Johnson Memorial Chapel in Dawson with Pastor Kendall Stelter and Pastor John Biggs officiating; scripture lessons were Psalm 23, I Corinthians 15:3-10 and John 16:25-33;son, Dan gave a personal greeting and eulogy; and Deb Lewis accompanied the singing of "Amazing Grace" and "What A Friend We Have In Jesus." Honorary casketbearers were his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and the active were members of the family. Interment was in Grace Cemetery.
Visitation was one hour before the services at the Johnson Memorial Home Chapel.
One hundred and two years ago, on June 29, 1910, Karl Edwin Larson was born in Virerstad, Sweden the son of August and Hilda (Pettersson) Larson. In his family, there were two girls and six boys, who are now all deceased. As the third oldest child, Edwin provided care for his younger siblings while his parents worked in the fields. In the early 1900's it was challenging to make a living in Sweden, and like other young people, Edwin, at the age of 17, left Sweden for a better life in the USA.
He remembered arriving in America, and was surprised that the streets were not paved in gold, as he had envisioned. Not speaking English at that time, Edwin wore a sign around his neck that said “Boyd, MN.” He went to Boyd because his older brothers Oscar and Art had immigrated to there earlier. He recalled eating hot dogs for every meal during his bus travel from NY to MN, as that was the only food word he knew in English. He told of coming to America with only dress clothes and that he wore those clothes while learning to bridle a horse, milk a cow, and shuck corn as a hired farm hand in the Providence Valley area.
For a short time, Edwin lived in Minneapolis and worked at the Gold Medal Flour Mill. Times were tough in America too and soon there were few jobs in the city, so Edwin returned to the Boyd and Dawson area. He met and married Angeline Kvam on January 1, 1943. They lived for a short time in the Mora, MN area and returned to purchase a farm site and 80 acres of land east of Dawson.
Edwin and Angie raised their family of five boys (Ron, Dale, Kevin, Allan, and Dan) on the farm. Edwin had milk cows and farmed his land and his father-in-law’s land south of Dawson. In 1957, Edwin recalled being attacked by a bull, and rescued by his wife and young boys who heard his screams and drove the car out into the pasture. This incident landed him in the hospital and his good neighbors helped get the crops out that year.
Edwin was blessed to visit his homeland of Sweden on four separate occasions. He and his wife traveled twice to Sweden to visit his parents and siblings, and his last trip was with his sons Dan and Dale in 1994. His brothers and their families, nephews and cousins from Sweden have visited Edwin’s family in the US as well.
In 1986, Edwin and Angie purchased a home in Dawson and lived happily there for many years. They enjoyed card playing and dancing with their friends and were always pleased to receive visits from their sons and families. In later years, Edwin took care of his wife at home who was afflicted with Alzheimer’s Disease. Eventually she moved to the Johnson Memorial Home where he was a frequent visitor until she died in 1998.
Edwin continued living in his own home until moving to the Johnson Memorial Home in 2004. He enjoyed good health and the wonderful care he received there. He attributed healthy living and good family genetics for his longevity. He always enjoyed visiting with friends and family and appreciated the kindness and love of the staff and residents.
He is survived by three sons: Ron and wife, Melva, of Dawson, Allan and wife, Judy, of Hill City, SD, and Dan and wife, Becky of Eden Prairie; daughter-in-law, Kathy Larson of Apple Valley; 8 grandchildren: Chris (Shannon) Larson, Todd (Shelly) Larson, Amy (Chris) Boys, Tracy (Brian) McCarthy, Kelly (Danny) Grimes, Eric, Reid, and Brian; and 11 great-grandchildren: Ryan, Blake, Brooke, Jake, Charlie, Matthew, Samantha, Sydney, Emma, Andrew, and Harper.
Preceding him in death were his parents; wife, Angie; sons: Dale and Kevin; brothers: Arthur, Oscar, Axel, Erik and Rune; and sisters: Edith Larson and Ruth Larson.
Blessed be his memory.