Thomas LARSON, Jr.

LARSON, DAHL, BRUNET, RUDOLPH, DUNCAN, ROBINSON, NEIFFER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 3/30/2010 at 10:18:00

March 28, 2010
Fort Dodge Messenger, Iowa

Thomas Larson Jr., 88, of Fort Dodge, passed away at home on March 25, 2010, just 18 days short of his 89th birthday, following a lengthy illness. Cremation rites will take place at the Gunderson Funeral Home & Cremation Services. All are invited to a grave side service to be held on Monday, March 29 at 2:00 p.m. at the Otho Cemetery with the Rev. Carroll Lang officiating. Military honors will be presented by V.F.W. Post No. 1856. There will be no visitation. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Gunderson Funeral Home & Cremation Services.

He is survived by his wife, Donna; daughters, Patricia Larson, San Jose, CA; Barbara Larson, Maple Valley, WA; Bonnie Larson, Portland, OR; three grandchildren, Gary Thomas Dahl, Renton, WA; Danielle (Phil) Brunet, Kent, WA; Derrek (Trisha) Dahl, Deer Park, WA; seven great-grandchildren, Rachelle, Christian, Tiffany and Zachary Brunet all of Kent, WA; Bryce Dahl, Covington, WA; Tyler and Joshua Dahl, Deer Park, WA; brother Larry Larson, Mt Hood, OR; sister Judi (Robert) Rudolph, Lodi, CA; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas Larson Sr. and Ila (Duncan) Larson, brothers, Charles, Daveylee, and Richard Larson; and sisters, Mary Alice Robinson and Gloria Neiffer.

Tom was born on April 12, 1921 in Otho, Iowa. He attended the Otho School through eighth grade, graduated from Fort Dodge High School and then graduated from Yuba College in Marysville, CA. During his youth, Tom served in the Civilian Conservation Corps in Clarion before moving to Hollywood, CA where he worked in the aircraft industry and as a Merchant Marine as well as doing extra work in the movies. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps in the European Theatre from 1943 to 1945. Following his discharge he moved to Kodiak, Alaska where he worked as a fire fighter for seven years. He helped establish the VFW post in Kodiak, and later became a life member of VFW Post No. 1856 in Fort Dodge. He married his first wife, Cora, in 1948 and they had three daughters. That marriage ended in divorce. He married Donna Neiffer on July 22, 1961, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. They lived in California for many years before retiring in 1988. Tom was able to do a great deal of movie extra work after he returned to California in 1961 and enjoyed talking about his experiences and the actors he had met. After retiring, they spent six months a year in Texas, and six months in Iowa. Tom thoroughly enjoyed the winter months in Texas. He was the captain of the park's pool team for many years, leading them to a league championship as well as second & third place trophies in the league. He enjoyed competing in pool contests throughout the valley, winning many individual and pair trophies. When his health declined, they no longer went to Texas but he spent many hours playing pool at the Senior Center in Fort Dodge. He enjoyed traveling and attending auctions but not necessarily in that order! He could be found at several auctions each week until his health problems confined him to his home.