LARSON, Merle Clarence 1925 - 2017

LARSON, KITTLESON, ZIELSKE, JOHNSON, MATHRE, MALONE, WESTPHAL, PREISS, MIX, PETERS

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 10/29/2017 at 22:42:56

Merle Clarence Larson, 91 of Elk Horn, IA, formerly of Clear Lake, died Monday, May 22, 2017, at the Salem Lutheran Home in Elk Horn.

Funeral services will be 2:00 p.m. Friday, May 26, 2017, at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 101 N. 4th St. Clear Lake, with Pastor Will Hunsaker officiating. Burial will be in Clear Lake Cemetery, with military honors provided by the Clear Lake VFW Post 4868.

Visitation will be one hour prior to the service on Friday.

Family suggests memorial contributions be directed to Judy Johnson.

Merle was born November 25, 1925, in Clear Lake, the youngest child of Andrew P. and Lena (Kittleson) Larson.

Merle attended school in Clear Lake, and worked side-by-side with his dad and older brothers in the family masonry business, Larson Masonry, started in 1908 by his dad.

He was inducted into the Navy during WWII in February 1944 at the age of 18. He served aboard the USS Battleship Iowa in the South Pacific until his Honorable Discharge in January 1946.

After his service to his country, Merle returned home to Clear Lake and continued working for Larson Masonry, which later became Larson Brothers Masonry. Merle did masonry work until his retirement.

He was united in marriage to Ruth Elnora Zielske on April 28, 1950, in Mason City. They shared 51 years together until her death on May 12, 2001.

During his lifetime Merle enjoyed fishing, dancing, watching westerns and war movies, collecting newspaper articles about the Battleship Iowa, stamp and coin collecting, camping and seeing the sights of the U.S. with Ruth and their family.

In 2009, he moved to Council Bluffs, IA, to live with his daughter, Judy, and son-in-law, Dan. He enjoyed many happy and memorable times with them and their family. Spending time with his grandchildren and great grandchildren was one of the greatest joys of his life, and he cherished the time he spent with them. He often commented that he was a lucky man to have lived long enough to see great grandchildren come into his life. In late 2013, Merle moved to the Salem Lutheran Homes in Elk Horn, where the staff and residents became like family to him.

He is survived by his son, David A. Larson, Clear Lake and daughter, Judy (Daniel) Johnson, Council Bluffs; grandchildren, Summer (Jason Westphal) Johnson, Omaha, NE, Tyler (Melanie Ventre) Johnson, Council Bluffs, Erik Johnson of Council Bluffs, and Heather (Bruce) Mathre, Council Bluffs; great grandchildren, Legra Malone, Gillian, Natalie and Camryn Mathre, Abbagail, Emalee and Spencer Johnson; step-great grandchildren, Sydney and Kylie Westphal and Luis Preiss; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Ruth; sisters, Clara Mix and Florence Peters; brothers, Carl G., Casey (Andrew Jr.), Vern, Alfred and Roy Larson.