William H. Larson, 99, Sartell

October 17, 1920 – November 8, 2019

 
William H. Larson Lt Cdr USN (ret)., 99, Sartell, MN died Friday, November 8, at Country Manor Nursing Home. A celebration of life will be 10:30am on Tuesday, November 12 at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in St. Cloud. Family will attend a Military Honors Ceremony at Fort Ripley in Little Falls. Visitation one hour before church ceremony. Arrangements are entrusted to the Miller-Carlin Funeral Home of St. Cloud.

Bill was born October 17, 1920 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Bill married Lorraine (Lolly) M. Larson on May 3, 1942 in New Orleans, LA. He enlisted in the US Navy October 24, 1940 as a Seaman Second Class and retired January 31, 1961 as a Lt Cdr in Richfield, MN. He achieved his life’s goal as a pilot in the Navy and continued flying as a corporate pilot for Onan Corporation for another 20 years, retiring in 1981. He was a member of the Silver Eagles (an association of enlisted pilots), and The Quiet Birdman (an aviator club). Bill and Lolly shared a summer cabin on Lake Florida near Spicer, MN. This was a place their kids and grandkids would gather many times over 30 years and create countless cherished memories. Bill and Lolly had several travel adventures between Navy life and visiting both Norway and Sweden together before her passing in 1991.

He was an avid outdoorsman taking several hunting and fishing trips with his sons, son-in-law, and grandsons. A love for the outdoors is a legacy many of his family will continue and enjoy. Bill had a passion for wood working and carving that produced numerous beautiful creations for family and friends. Wood carving also led to Bill meeting Alice Johnson at a wood carving class. Bill and Alice married in 1994 and moved to St. Cloud, MN in 2001. They enjoyed carving together and spending summers at Linklater Lake near Kenora, Canada. He served as a volunteer at the Veterans Administration Hospital in St. Cloud.

Bill is survived by his four children Yvonne (Jim) Geiger of Elizabethtown, PA, Pamela (Rich) Knutson of Spicer, MN, James (Sally) Larson of Duluth, MN, and Kenneth Larson of Littleton, CO, nine grandchildren Nikki (Matt) Thein, Cindy (Scott) Mickievicz, Josh (Jesse) Rockstad, Scott (Laura) Geiger, Katy (Brian) Larson, Stephanie (Dustin) Carr, Kelly (Eric) Lundberg, Matt (Gabby) Larson, and Sam Larson, 15 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great grandchildren. Preceded in death by first wife, Lorraine M. Larson, and second wife, Alice L. Larson.