KENNETH LARSON 1931 - 2018

LARSON, DONALDSON, SALZWEDEL

Posted By: volunteer (email)
Date: 12/12/2023 at 17:07:48

Kenneth Larson, age 86, of Ames, died at Green Hills Health Care, on bruary 21, 2018. A gathering of friends and family will be 4:00-6:00 p.m. Friday, March 16, 2018, at Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care, 414 Lincoln Way, Ames, Iowa. A celebration of life memorial service will be at 10:00 a.m. March 17, 2018 at St.Andrew's Lutheran Church, 209 Colorado Ave, Ames, IA.

Kenneth Leroy Larson was born on April 7, 1931. Ken attended country school for nine years as the
only student in his class. He graduated from Charter Oak High School in 1949. While at Charter Oak, he played basketball and was recognized as an all-state honorable mention Iowa basketball player. He attended Iowa Teacher's college in Cedar Falls for one year with aspirations to become a high school coach. His second year of college, he transferred to Iowa State College where he was in USAF-ROTC for four years graduating in May 1954. A member of Farm House, he was also the Senior Class President and member of Cardinal Key.

In 1957, Ken entered graduate college at the University of Wisconsin and was awarded a crop physiology doctorate degree in 1961. Ken moved his family to North Dakota State University as a professor in agronomy for nine years. In 1970, Ken relocated with his wife, Ruth, and her children to
the University of Missouri for eight years as a professor/researcher and then 5 ½ years as associate dean of Agriculture. In 1984, Ken returned to Ames as the associate dean of agronomy. Prior to his retirement in 1996, he was a professor in Agronomy.

Ken was involved with 12 annual North Central Symposiums designed for the improvements of educational instruction. He was involved with various meetings for students, faculty and alumni. Ken's research prior to retirement was on management and production of crambe.

As active as his professional career was, Ken continued his passion of service in his retirement years. He was an active volunteer at Food at First, Farm House and Kiwanis. Ken enjoyed his farming roots with gardening, crop judging at Missouri and Iowa State Fairs and a hobby of weed seed and soil texture samples kits for sale. Ken was on the board of Heartland Senior and performed annually at the Variety shows. His favorite was Abbott and Costello's Who's on First. Ken was involved with ISU student activities, Alumni Associations and Department of Agronomy Activities. He planned several reunions for Class of 56D USAF Pilots (2008) and ISU Class of 54 (2014). He enjoyed playing bridge with friends and winning at Bingo at Green Hills. Ken loved his time with family, fishing, attending his grandchildren's events, trips with his brothers and Hallinglags.

Ken is survived by his wife, Ruth; daughters, Linda Donaldson and Janet (Randy) Salzwedel; four grandchildren; one great-grandchild; brothers Don (Wilma) and Lowell (Nancy), Ruth's children, Barb, Dave, and Jay; nieces and nephew. Ken was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Frances Larson; and a nephew.