Norris Larson

Norris Norman Larson Died on February 28, 2010 at Highgate Senior Living in Bozeman, MT. Norris was born November 28, 1925 to Lars Peter and Lydia (Roras) Larson at their farm home in Elkader, Iowa. He was baptized at Highland Lutheran Church. He attended rural school near his home. His formal education was cut short because of his father#8217;s failing health and the need to work on the family farm. At an early age he learned to fish the nearby Turkey River. It quickly became a hobby that he enjoyed and loved during all his life. In 1948 he married Virginia Rose Meisner in Elkader, Iowa. They lived on a farm near his parents#8217; farm through 1956. January 1957 they moved to Cresco, Iowa where Norris started a Surge Dairy equipment business. Over the next 28 years, he grew the business from a one truck operation servicing a single northeast Iowa county to a business that ran four servicing trucks, a retail store, and covered in excess of five Iowa counties. He prided himself on giving the very best service to his customers whenever and wherever it was needed. He was a jack of all trades doing plumbing, electrical, carpentry, stainless steel welding and refrigeration work. Norris and Virginia were blessed with their four children Bruce, Dan, Constance and Cathy. Norris dearly loved his family and enjoyed their activities while they were growing up. He especially enjoyed the family (fishing) vacations. With his sons, he became very involved in Boy Scouts as father, Scoutmaster and Commissioner, later receiving the Boy Scouts#8217; Silver Beaver Award recognizing outstanding volunteer leadership. He particularly enjoyed participating as Scoutmaster in the 1969 National Jamboree at Farragut State Park in Idaho. He was an active member of First Lutheran Church in Cresco, Iowa for 42 years serving in many different volunteer capacities. He served on the Howard Winneshiek Community School Board, the Howard County Zoning board and numerous other civic and community organizations. He was an avid bowler and took great pride in teaching his children and grandchildren to enjoy the sport also. Boating, fishing, hunting, camping and woodworking provided a lifetime of adventures and accomplishments. Norris was an animal lover and thoroughly enjoyed the various family pets. He was especially close to his Dudley and the Froyum#8217;s Benji in his last years. Norris and Virginia enjoyed the last 19 years post-retirement splitting their time between the Good Life RV Resort in Mesa, Arizona and the northern residences of Iowa and more recently, Bozeman, Montana. The grandkids in each location dearly loved the time they spent each year with their grandfather. Norris was preceded in death by his parents, sister Rose Ormsby, brother Merlin Larson, half-brother Peter Larson and half-sister Myrtle Trehus. Norris is survived by his wife Virginia, his children Bruce and Beth Larson of Clarkston, WA, Daniel and Deb Larson of Bozeman, MT, Constance Larson of Phoenix, AZ and Cathy and Bill Froyum of Scottsdale, AZ; grandchildren Tommy (Nicole) Frazier of Fort Atkinson, WI, Carly, Nicholas and Joshua Froyum of Scottsdale, AZ, and Kelsey Larson of Bozeman, MT; great-grandchildren TJ and Liam Frazier of Fort Atkinson, WI. Also survived by his brother LaVern (Lorraine) Larson of Sheyboygan WI, a very special brother-in-law Noel (Ellen) Meisner of Asotin, WA, sister-in-law Faith (Jack) Dredla of Bozeman, MT, sister-in-law June (Paul) Mathison of Preston, MN and many nieces, nephews and friends in Iowa, Arizona, and Montana. Funeral services will be held at 4:30PM Tuesday, March 2 at Hope Lutheran Church, Bozeman, MT with reception to follow. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer#8217;s Foundation via Norris#8217; Tribute page at the Alzheimer#8217;s Association web site, http://act.alz.org , by mail to PO Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011 or to the giver#8217;s favorite charity in Norris#8217; name. Link to Norris#8217; tribute page on the Alzheimer#8217;s National web site is: http://act.alz.org/site/TR/Events/Tributes-AlzheimersChampions?JServSessionIdr004=pt2q1a9yy1.app46apxfid=24891fr_id=1060pg=fund