Helen Gunhild Nelson Larson, 83, St. Cloud

September 22, 1932 -- January 25, 2016

Helen Gunhild Nelson Larson, age 83, St. Cloud, MN, died Monday, January 25, 2016 at the St. Cloud Hospital after a five-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

Funeral services will be Friday, January 29, 2016 at 11:00 AM at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, St. Cloud MN. Visitation will be Thursday, January 28, 2016 from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, St. Cloud, MN and one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday. Burial will be in Our Savior's Lutheran Cemetery, Santiago, MN. Funeral arrangements were made by Benson Funeral Home, St. Cloud, MN.

Helen was born September 22, 1932 in Santiago, MN to Nels H and Myrtle May (Ross) Nelson. She married Maynard A. Larson on June 19, 1954 at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Santiago, MN. Helen taught school for 34 years, retiring in 1994. She taught in Milaca and at Madison and Jefferson Elementary Schools in St. Cloud and served as assistant principal. She was named St. Cloud Teacher of the Year in 1988. Helen was a member of Faith Lutheran Church, Lutheran Women's Missionary League, Minnesota Educators' Association, Delta Kappa Gamma, and Good Shepherd Auxiliary. She also served as an election judge. Helen was proud of her Norwegian heritage. She was fascinated with genealogy and compiled all of her family's history. She will be remembered for her compassion, kindness, generosity and wit.

Survivors include her husband, Maynard Larson of St. Cloud, MN; children, Neil (Caroline) Larson of Maple Grove, MN; Bryan (Cheryl) Larson of Eagan, MN; Heidi (Dick) Larson Bremer of St. Michael, MN; brother, Ross Nelson of Winsted, MN; sisters, Vollie Molin of St. Michael, MN; Loretta Jenson of Universal City, TX; Marie Hickman Berg of Big Lake, MN; six grandchildren, Reid (Hannah), Braden, Alexander and Aaron Larson, and Erik and Hannah Bremer.

She was preceded in death by her parents; infant son, Aaron Larson on August 1, 1964; six brothers, Gerhard, Howard, Tressman, Nordahl, Sherman and Joseph Nelson; and five sisters, Gladys Christianson, Norine Nelson, Murine Nelson, Grace Stauffeneker and DeLoris Holler.

The family thanks Dr. Ufearo and the Coborn Cancer Center for their care. Memorials are preferred to Faith Lutheran Church or the American Cancer Society.