John "Jack" Larson

John Alfred (Jack) Larson passed away Monday, November 28, 2016, in Cheyenne, Wyoming at age 92.  He was born October 28, 1924, the son of John Ephraim Larson and Florence Isabel Gibbs.

As a young man, he enjoyed working with horses, and earned pocket money breaking them to ride.  He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on December 31, 1942, and served three years, two months, and four days, discharged as a Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class on February 13, 1946. His main duty station while in the service was in Waimanalo, Hawaii, as a member of Standard Landing Craft Unit (SLCU) 12.  Waimanalo was designated an Amphibious Training Base, and John spent much of his time training U.S. Navy personnel to operate LCMs (Landing Craft Mechanized).

He married Mary Lou Mather on June 27, 1947, and they spent the early part of their marriage in Newcastle, Wyoming, where his mother’s family lived.  After a short time, they moved back to Wallace County, where he worked as a dairy farmer.  During his lifetime, some of his activities involved participating in the 7th Cavalry Drill team, serving on the ASCS Committee, Fair Board, Mountain Empire Dairyman’s Association, and he enjoyed bowling on Tuesday nights.  He and Mary Lou retired from dairy farming and moved back to Newcastle in 1987.  While retired, he enjoyed hunting, fishing, carpentry, woodworking, and leathercraft, as well as playing cards with relatives.

He is survived by his wife Mary Lou, one son Larry Larson (Sherry Larson) of Oak Grove, Missouri, and a daughter Mary Anne Larson (Chris Roger) of Arvada, Colorado; sisters Ellen Larson Huffman (Jack Huffman, deceased) of Thornton, Colorado, Lois Larson Fischer Wiles (Earl Wiles) of Leoti, Kansas, Elizabeth (Betty) Larson (Kenneth Schreiber) of Laguna Hills, California, brothers:  Joseph Larson of Manhattan, Kansas, and Richard Larson of Thornton, Colorado.  He was preceded in death by Father John Ephraim Larson and Mother Florence Isabel Gibbs, Stepmother Ella DeBeer Larson, sister Margaret Larson Cheney; Brother Floyd Larson; and Brother Paul Larson.

Memorials may be designated to the Sharon Springs VFW and may be left at the service or mailed to Koons-Russell Funeral Home, 211 N. Main St., Goodland, Kansas 67735.

Online condolences may be left at www.koonsrussellfuneralhome.com.