Charles Donald “Bing” Larson (-1939)

LARSON, NELSON, RAPSON

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 2/5/2022 at 12:30:12

From Nevada Evening Journal November 21, 1939 (page 4)

Funeral Services at Slater for Charles D. Larson

Slater, Nov. 21--Funeral services for Charles D. Larson were held Friday afternoon at the Riis Funeral home at 2 o'clock. The services were in charge of Rev. P. Buland of Story City assisted by Rev. E. R. Rorem.

The floral offering were unusually large and beautiful. One wreath was sent by his shipmates from the S. S. Phoenix. Mrs. E. G. Fardal of Webster City sang two solos "Beautiful Garden of Prayer" and "O Love That Will Not Let Me Go." Homer Lewis sang "God Will Take Care of You." The pallbearers were boys who had served as pages with Charles at the state house several years and his cousin. Thy were Gerald Fardal of Webster City, Alexander Kloster, Carl Berggren, George Heggen Jr., Erwin Chapman and C. Norris, all of Des Moines.

Burial was made in the Bethlehem cemetery.

Charles Donald Larson was born March 7, 1916 in Minneapolis and died Nov. 4, 1939 on board the S. S. Phoenix, near the West Indies, from a fall on shipboard. He was 23 years, seven months and 27 days old.

At one time served as a page during the state legislature.

For a number of years he was on the west coast in California working in the Bethlehem shipbuilding yards. He had tried to join the navy but was rejected on account of a crippled foot. His great desire to go to South America resulted in being employed on the S. S. Phoenix which was bound for South America. His tragic death ended his travels.

According to word received by the mother from officers of the ship, it was at the docks at Caracrim, West Indies, that the young man tripped and fell while walking up the gang plank, falling a distance of about 14 feet and striking his head against a cement fender. Thrown into the water, he was rescued and taken to the hospital, where he died without gaining consciousness. He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Elsie Larson of Des Moines and a sister Mrs. C. A. Norris of Kansas City. His father C. E. Larson and sister Mrs. Naomi Rapson preceded him in death.

Among those from out of town in attendance were: Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Nelson, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Johnson, Mrs. Lars Kloster and son Alexander, F. W. Haven, C. E. Ross, W. C. Hathaway, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Kelso, Mrs. Herman Auestad and Geraldine, all of Des Moines.

Two groups of patriotic organizations of which Mrs. Larson is a member attended the services in a boy. They were Tent No. 6 Aunt Becky Young Daughters of Union Veterans of the Civil War, and Auxiliary to Sons of Union Veterans of th Civil War, Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Larson and son Homer, Will Larson and Mrs. Elmer Soderland of Madrid, Mrs. E. G. Fardal and son Gerald of Webster City, Mrs. C. A. Norris of Kansas City, Mo., George Rapson and son George Jr., of Cherokee, Mrs. Helen Bates of Ames, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Apland, Mr. and Mrs. O. J. Kalsem of Huxley, Mr. and Mrs. Martin Nelson, Mrs. Chas. Hennick, Mrs. Albert Hill of Cambridge, Rev. and Mrs. P. Buland and Mrs. Edward Duea of Story City, all were present.