William L. Larsen (1926-2011)

LARSEN, RICHEY

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 8/5/2012 at 20:08:51

From Adams & Soderstrum Funeral Home obituary, Story County, Iowa:

William Larsen

BORN: July 16, 1926

DIED: April 25, 2011

LOCATION: Ames, Iowa

William L. Larsen was born to Clarence and Luverne Larsen in Crookston, Minnesota on July 16, 1926. He passed away in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, surrounded by family, on Monday April 25.

He graduated from Crookston High School in 1944 and received an officer’s commission into the United States Naval Reserve that year, where he served until mid-way through his career at Iowa State; leaving the USNR as a Lieutenant.

He received his B.S. of mechanical engineering from Marquette University in 1948 and studied theology at the University of Chicago1950-51. He attended The Ohio State University where he earned an M.S. in physics in 1950 and a PhD in metallurgical engineering in 1956.

Bill met Gracie Lee Richey, formerly of Roscoe, Texas, during a visit to Minneapolis; they were later married June 19, 1954. They celebrated 55 years of marriage before Gracie passed away in December of 2009.

Bill began his working career in 1956 as a research metallurgist at E.I. DuPont Company in Wilmington, Delaware. However Bill aspired to teach and secured a position as professor at Iowa State University in 1958, where he remained until his retirement in 1993.

While at ISU, he prepared and taught 30 different courses ranging from freshman to graduate courses in the metallurgy department, later known as the material science and engineering department. Bill also was an independent consultant to business, industry, insurance, and legal firms. His license plate bracket read, “I am a professional engineer and I don’t drive trains.”

One of the activities he enjoyed the most at ISU was serving as director, advisory committee member, seminar instructor, and faculty advisor of the ISU Honors Program. He was also a participant and leader in national honors education programs.

Bill relished supporting and aiding the success of his students. He remained in communication with many of them and enjoyed following their careers.

He cherished time with his friends and family. He was preceded in death by his parents and wife, Gracie. He is survived by his sister, Martha, sons Eric (wife Deb) and Tom (wife Carolyn) and their beloved grandchildren, Kristin and Alex, and his three grand “dogs”. Bill also very much enjoyed history, archaeology, and spending time hunting and fishing, and all things “Minnesota”.

Services are tentatively scheduled for Sunday, June 12th at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ames with a reception following at Green Hills Retirement Community’s main dining room. Service and reception times will be announced in the near future in the Ames Tribune and at the Green Hills Retirement Community.

Memorial Service

Sunday June 12 2011
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Ames
1015 N. Hyland
Ames, IA 50015

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