Ivan Larson

Obituary

Ivan Vernon Larson was born on October 24, 1929, in St. James, Minnesota. He was the son of Nels and Emma (Goltz) Larson. Ivan was baptized as an infant and was later confirmed in his faith as a youth at West Sveadahl Lutheran Church in Watonwan County, Minnesota. He received his elementary education in La Salle, Minnesota, and was a graduate of the St. James High School Class of 1948. He furthered his education at Dunwoody Technical College for two years and received his degree in Civil Engineering.

Ivan entered active military service with the United States Army on September 3, 1948, in Winona, Minnesota. He served his country during the occupation of Japan, the Korean War, and the Atomic Bomb Testing in Nevada. He received an Honorable Discharge on May 21, 1952, in Fort Lewis, Washington and achieved the rank of Sergeant. Following discharge from the Army, Ivan took his Grandfather, John Goltz (Anderson) on a one month visit to Sweden to visit relatives whom John had not seen since emigrating to America with his family in 1912.

In 1954, Ivan went to work with E. Schmitt and Associates based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He then worked in Saint Cloud, Minnesota, doing mapping and surveying for a year. In 1955, he relocated to Phoenix, Arizona, and continued doing civil engineering work for E. Schmitt on large oil and gas pipelines and interstate highway systems in Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Alabama, Florida, and Delaware. In 1959, he went to work with Barnard and Bick Engineering in Jacksonville, Florida. He moved to Hutchinson in 1960 with the engineering company that was working on design of the city of Hutchinson’s new gas system. He was then hired by Hutchinson Utilities Gas Division where he worked as superintendent of Gas Division until retiring in 1993.

On May 2, 1953, Ivan was united in marriage to Mary Jane Greiner and they were blessed with three sons, Quentin, Mark and Jeffery. Ivan and Mary Jane resided in Hutchinson and shared 63 years of marriage until Mary Jane passed away on May 25, 2016.

Ivan was a member of St. Anastasia Catholic Church in Hutchinson. He was also a member of the VFW Post 906 in Hutchinson.

Ivan enjoyed hunting, fishing, bird watching, golfing, playing cards, and traveling. He loved seeing his grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren, and bringing donut holes to all the grandkids every Saturday morning for many years.

Ivan passed away on Saturday, September 26, 2020, at Woodstone Senior Living in Hutchinson, at the age of 90 years.

Blessed be his memory.

Ivan is survived by his:
Sons,    Quentin Larson and his wife, Pam of Hutchinson, MN,
            Jeff Larson and his wife, Ivy of Lago Vista, TX;
Grandchildren, Lyndsay (Larson) Howard and her husband, Jason, Alisa (Larson) Schmidt and her husband, Robert, Jonathan Larson, Joshua Larson, Joel Larson, and Zachary Larson;
Step Grandchildren, Tammy Lindahl, Sean Lindahl, Danielle Roggow, Dallas Bradberry and Brooke Bradberry;
Great Grandchildren, Cody Larson Schmidt and his wife, Katarina, Mason Larson Schmidt, Jacob Larson, Benjamin Larson, Chloe Larson, Mitchell Jason Howard, and Greyson Howard;
Step Great Grandson, Austin Willett;
Great-Great Grandsons, Reid, Kayden, and Drake;
Sister-in-law, Mary Greiner of New Hope, MN;
Many Nieces, Nephews, other relatives and friends.

Ivan is preceded in death by his Parents, Nels and Emma Larson; un-named sibling baby at birth; Wife, Mary Jane Larson; Son, Mark Larson and his wife, LeAnn; Granddaughter, Britany Larson; Grandson, Mitchell Larson; Sisters, Dorothy Warling and her husband Art, and Eunice Call and her husband Les; Brother, Larry Larson; Sisters-in-law, Mildred Greiner and her husband George Greiner Jr., Grace Fields, and Helen Swanson and her husband Lenny; Brother-in-law Richard Greiner.