Pearl M. LARSON

LARSON, NELSON, SYBILRUD, ENGEL, JENSEN, HIGGINS, KLUSS, BOLTE, HONEYWELL, FREEMAN, HILL, HARRIS, WINTZE

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 1/7/2007 at 10:58:39

January 20, 2004

Pearl M. Larson, 97, of Belmond, died on Sunday, January 11, 2004, at the Belmond Health Care Center. Funeral services were held on Thursday, January 15, at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Belmond, with Rev. Rod Hopp and Rev. Connie Jurgenson officiating. Interment was in the St. Olaf Lutheran Church Cemetery West of Belmond. The Tenold-Andrews Funeral Home of Belmond was in charge of the arrangements. Music was provided by Eldoris Bunnell, organist and Marilyn Janssen, soloist. Ushers were Al Charlson and Loren Bamford. Casket bearers were Scott Long, Larry Long, Tim Long, Jeff Kinseth, Mark Carson, Robert V. Nelson, Dave Nelson, Earl Kalkwarf and Randy Turner.

Pearl Larson was born on December 27, 1906, on her parents' farm in Norway Township near Kanawha, the daughter of Lewis J.R. and Betey (Nelson) Larson. She was baptized on March 3, 1907, at the Norwegian Lutheran Church in Kanawha. Pearl attended Kanawha area schools until 1919 when the family moved to a farm near New Richland, Minnesota. She graduated from the New Richland High School in 1925. Pearl attended Normal Training at Morningside College in Sioux City for one year before returning to live with her mother and two younger sisters in Belmond. Following her mother's death, she taught primary grades at New Richland rural schools. Pearl later worked for a time as a nanny in Minneapolis while attending Lutheran Bible College in St. Paul. She graduated in 1933. Pearl was accepted as a missionary to the Sudan in March 1935 and was commissioned at Trinity Lutheran Church by Pastor Guldseth. She began her missionary work in 1936, traveling by boat from New York to Germany, and then on to Cameroon, Africa. Pearl and her team of missionaries arrived at Meiganga in January 1937. Her vocation as a missionary continued until her retirement in 1975. Upon retirement she returned to St. Paul where she spent one year speaking about her career. Pearl moved back to Belmond in 1976 and later made her home at the Community Apartments. She became a resident of the Belmond Health Care Center in 1999. Pearl had been active at Trinity Lutheran Church for many years, teaching Sunday School and participating in the ALCW.

Preceding her in death were her parents; brothers, Ralph, Alfred, Elmer and Dr. A.M. Larson; sisters, Mabel Sybilrud, Lillian Engel and Dorothy Higgins. Pearl is survived by nieces and nephews including: Janyce (Willie) Kluss of Belmond, Larry (Donna) Larson of Carmel, California, Judy (Ralph) Bolte of Clear Lake, Audrey Jensen of New Richland, Minnesota, Eldred (Elaine) Sybilrud of Locust Grove, Virginia, Patricia (Freeman) Honeywell of Fort Worth, Texas, David Engel of Fort Worth, Lynda (Vernon) Harris of Fort Worth, Joan Wintze and her husband, Bob of Arlington, Texas and Marlys (Bob) Hill of Las Vegas.

©Belmond Independent 2004