Raymond Lewis LARSEN

LARSEN, BELL, HANSEN, WILKINSON, SWEENY, WEIDE, LOWERY

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 9/3/2009 at 14:02:47

Raymond Lewis Larsen, 84, of Alexander died Aug. 30, 2009 at Hampton Health Care. Funeral services will be held Sept. 4 at 10:30 a.m. at United Methodist Church in Alexander with Pastors Phil Arnold and Craig Larsen officiating. Burial will be at the Alexander Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 3 at Andrews Funeral Home, Belmond, and continue one hour prior to the services at the church on Friday. Memorials in Ray's name may be given to the Humane Societies of Wright or Franklin County.

Born to Fred and Lottie (Bell) Larsen December 25, 1924 on the family farm north of Alexander, Raymond graduated from Alexander High School in 1944. He taught his Shetland pony Major to do tricks, such as counting by pounding his hoof on the ground when told a number. Raymond was a catcher on the baseball team and sang in the choir at the United Methodist Church where he was baptized and confirmed. After graduating, Raymond worked for area farmers until he started farming on his own. His hobbies were playing accordion, riding his 350 Honda, woodworking and collecting toy tractors.

He married Betty Marie Hansen December 17, 1951 at the Little Brown Church of Nashua. They lived on a farm near Coulter where they started a family. They later moved to a farm near Clear Lake, then near Mason City, and in 1966 to Alexander where his trucking career began, first as an independent contractor, then for Asgrow Seed Co. in Clarion where he worked for 20 years until his retirement in 1987. During his years as a truck driver he delivered seed to many states and Canada. He often took his children along to enjoy the sights along his route.

Betty died in 1983. He married Salinda Josephine Wilkinson December 16, 1990 and they lived in Manly. Josephine died in 2005. Raymond lived in his home in Alexander, with the help of his children, until a stroke disabled him and he became a resident of Hampton Health Care for three years. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Elmer, Wilbur and Clifford; and wives. Survivors are his sons Roger (Rose) Larsen of Bloomfield of New Mexico; Virgil (Kim) Larsen of Alexander; daughters Nancy Sweeny of Belmond, Julie Weide of Grafton; grandchildren Tony Larsen, Matthew Larsen, Becky Larsen, Aaron Sweeny, Angela (Jon) Lowery, Quentin Larsen, Kami Larsen and Christian Larsen; and two great grandchildren.

September 1, 2009
Belmond Independent, Iowa