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Evelyn S. Larsen, 92, of Minneapolis, Minn., and Lake Havasu City, Ariz., died at Plainview Estates Assisted Living near her daughter Vicki's home in Cloquet, Minn., on Wednesday, July 1, 2009.
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She was born Sept. 20, 1916, in Downers Grove, Ill., to Frank and Wilhelmina (Minnie, nee Tack) Staffeldt. She graduated from Downers Grove High School in 1934. In 1940 she graduated from the R.N. training program at Walther Memorial Hospital, Chicago, Ill.
Evelyn enlisted in the U.S. Army Sept. 1, 1942, and was stationed at Sheppard Field, Wichita Falls, Texas, where she met her future husband, Cpl. Vernon W. Larsen. They married there Jan. 27, 1945. Shortly after their wedding, Evelyn shipped out to the Philippine Islands while Vernon remained stateside. She was promoted to first lieutenant Sept. 15, 1945, and received an honorable discharge March 1, 1946.
Vernon and Evelyn resided in Minneapolis, where she was a homemaker and mother. She returned to nursing at Bethesda Hospital's pediatric department in 1963 and retired in 1979.
In 1982, Vern and Evelyn built a winter home in Lake Havasu City, where they lived next door to her sister, Eleanor Lott, and made many friends throughout the years.
Evelyn was a member of Lake Nokomis Lutheran Church in Minneapolis from 1946 and Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Lake Havasu City since 1982. She attended Chetek Lutheran Church while living with her son in Chetek and Zion Lutheran Church while living in Cloquet. She was a longtime volunteer with the American Red Cross, member of the Ebenezer Foundation and active member of both churches. While raising her three children, Evelyn was very involved in PTA and Girl Scout organizations.
Evelyn is survived by her husband, Vernon, Chetek; two daughters and their husbands, Judith and Dwight Mortland, of Faribault, Minn., and Vicki (M.D.) and Terry Anderson, of Cloquet; a son James and his wife Terrie, of Chetek; three grandchildren; five stepgrandchildren; one great-grandchild; 11 stepgreat-grandchildren; one stepgreat-greatgrandchild; and one sister, Eleanor Lott. She is further survived by nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by an infant brother; a sister, Dorothy Kempfer; three brothers-in-law, LeRoy Kempfer, Merrill Lott and Arnold Hansen; and nephew Robert Kempfer.
The family would like to express their thanks to Plainview Estates in Cloquet and St. Luke's Hospice for the fine care given to Evelyn.
Visitation was held Monday at Nelson Funeral Care in Cloquet followed by a prayer service. The visitation resumed Tuesday until the funeral service at Lake Nokomis Lutheran Church, 5011 31st Ave. S., Minneapolis.
Memorials preferred to Lake Nokomis Lutheran Church or Mt. Olive Lutheran Church. Nelson Funeral Care of Cloquet assisted the family with arrangements. See their online guest book at www.nelsonfuneralcare.net.
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©The Chetek Alert 2009
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