George Larson, 75

Surrounded by his family, George R. Larson passed away on December 5, 2015 at Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, South Dakota at the age of seventy five exactly. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, December 10 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Balaton.  Visitation is 4:00-8:00 p.m. Wednesday at the church with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m.  Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church on Thursday.  Burial is in Zion Lutheran Cemetery.  Online condolences may be sent at www.stephensfuneralservice.com.  Stephens Funeral Service - Tracy Area Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

George Raymond Larson was born on December 5, 1940 to Roy and Lucille (Mumby) Larson as the fifth of six children. He was baptized in the Lutheran faith and was confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church. He attended the country school where his mother taught, near the family farm in rural Balaton. He was among the first class to graduate from the new Balaton High School in 1958.

George and Janice Persons were married at Grace Lutheran Church in Russell on March 21, 1964. To this union, four children were born. They made their first home on his great grandparents’ homestead, and moved across the section four years later to take over his parents’ farm. George and Jan celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary in 2014. 

George farmed with his father and eventually became a long-distance trucker, logging over seven million accident-free miles. He drove for several companies in that time and purchased the first truck of his own in 1997. He gave retirement a try in 2010, but as anyone who knew him would tell you, there was no “quit” in George. His last log book entry wasn’t until October 15, 2015.  As a young man, George was an avid hunter with a rifle, shotgun, bow, and black powder. Later, he became interested in reloading and spent many hours perfecting his craft. In recent years, George discovered the joys of taking his place at The Table of Knowledge with the regular coffee bunch at Benson’s, since he had much to contribute. He took great pride in watching his grandchildren grow into unique individuals, and assisting them in honing their Larson sense of humor.

His smile, jokes, and mischievous ways will be missed most by those he leaves behind, namely his wife, Jan; his son, Don (Krischelle) Larson of Balaton, daughters, Shelly (David) Nachreiner of Mankato and Annie (Don) Weets of Lake Benton; son-in-law Jeff Kenne; grandchildren, Austin, Rachel, Mitchell, Naomi, Nicholas, Tyson, Elizabeth, Grace, Cade, and Sophie; and brother, David (Bev) Larson of Bonner, MT. 

He was welcomed home by his parents, his sisters, Donna Stack, Lynn Dobbelaere, and Lavonne VanMeveren; his brother, Richard; and his eldest daughter, Tammy Kenne.