MENSVIL NORMAN LARSON
Mensvil Norman Larson, age 89 of Bottineau, died Saturday, June 7, 2014 at a Minot hospital. Funeral service’s will be held on Thursday, June 12, 2014 at 10:00 A.M. in the St. Marks’s Catholic Church in Bottineau. Burial will be at the St. Mark’s Cemetery also of Bottineau. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 10:00 A.M. until 9:00 P.M. with a prayer service at 7:30 at the Nero Funeral Home in Bottineau.
Mensvil Norman Larson, Jr. (“Norm”) was born June 3, 1925 in Bottineau, North Dakota., the son of Mensvil N. Larson and Alma Marie (Anderson) Larson. Norm was the oldest of three sons and was raised on the family farm in the Turtle Mountains at Lake Metigoshe, North Dakota. He was educated at Roland Township School and later completed his high school education in Bottineau. Norm pursued a liberal arts degree at the North Dakota School of Forestry in Bottineau where he was a member of the Lumberjack football team. He was later inducted into the college’s football hall of fame for a winning season in 1947. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from the University of Omaha in 1961.
On August 21, 1950 Norman married Verdellis L. Richard in Dunseith, ND and to this union four daughters were born. Norm joined the Army in 1945 and spent the next 25 years serving in many capacities from platoon leader to commanding officer. He served in WW II, Korea and Viet Nam. His last assignment was as Battalion Advisor in Minot, ND. Norman received numerous commendations, including a meritorious service award, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry and the Bronze Star. Life in the Army involved many separations and took the family to different army posts every three years, both in the U.S. and Germany. Norm gave credit to his wife for her ability to keep the family together and cope with the many moves the family had to make. He boasted that his wife was the “best Army wife a guy could have”. Norm was proud to serve his country in the Army and continued his involvement as a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) until his death. Norm retired in June 1970 as a Major in the Army and moved his family to Bottineau, North Dakota, where he and his wife owned and managed the Texaco Station and Larson’s Casuals.
Norm grew up with a family dedication to public service and service to the community. He carried on that tradition throughout his remaining years. Norm served on the Bottineau City Council for 14 years, was the president of a regional planning council, a member of the State Planning Commission, member of several civic and veteran organizations, served as the first president of the Sons of Norway in Bottineau and as mayor of Bottineau for six years. His years in the army fostered his love for military memorabilia and history. He often participated in Bottineau’s annual Memorial Day event and could be seen driving his 1950 army jeep in the parade. He had a love for reading and current events. He entertained friends and family with his many stories of life on the farm and adventures in the Army. Norm enjoyed spending time with his family and driving up to the family farm in the Turtle Mountains. Prior to his death, Norm said that his goals were to never tarnish the family name, provide service to his country, raise his family and make it to his 90th year. He accomplished those goals. He was a good husband, a caring father and grandfather, and a good citizen. He will be dearly missed by his family and friends.
Norman is survived by his two brothers, Richard Larson (Seattle, WA), Delbert Larson (Bullhead City, AZ), four daughters, Diane (Scott) Sjol (Minot, ND), Cheryl (George) Dakin (Bedford, TX), Norma (Bob) Nelson (New Milford, CT) and Karen Larson (fiancé Mike Johnson) (Rock Lake, ND), grandchildren, Ryan (Christina) Harris, Michael (Adriana) Harris, Megan Nice, Katie Nice, Aubrey Millar, Jayden Sjol, Kendra (Josh) Heiland, Cory (Lauren) Dakin, Kelly Dakin, Matt (Jessica) Dakin, Austin Vaughn, Jordan Vaughn, Stacy (Kirk) Lee, Nick Balsamo, Ashley Balsamo and Anthony Balsamo, 22 great grandchildren and one great great granddaughter. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Verdellis L. Larson.
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Dinner last night at Casa Verde’s in the Cebu Ayala Mall
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you said you were at Dunseith School for 2nd grade. Well anyway, I always
remember my mother saying that the (class of 65)third graders had to have
their mother’s teach them at home or they (us) would have to re-do 2nd
grade again. Reason being our second grade teacher Mrs. Masveltin had not
taught us much, I remember she did a lot of piano playing. I can see that
most of us must have had some problems, because we missed out on so much
that second grade year. I remember my mother had a blackboard set up
teaching me math. When I was in the first grade I remember how I loved to
read. Miss Srauss was such a good teacher.
I remember Mrs. Conroy reading books to us “Lorna Doone” and that book was
written in french, Another was “The Secret Garden”, I remember watching
the movie later in life and saying to myself, that wasn’t the way that
story went, I visualized it so vividly when Mrs. Conroy read it to us.
Evie, and others who contributed, also in Mrs. Conroy’s classroom we did a
lot of mirror coloring (I don’t recall the correct name for it) I colored
the most in the book she put together afterwards, so she gave it to me. I
still have it.
I remember wanting to be an artist, I really enjoyed drawing. I’m happy
that Colette went ahead and did it.
Sally! and her children!– what a sad thing!–
Verlin and Stella were always two of the nicest people I’ve known. How
they loved those children! and they are nice kids —
Our son Joe worked for Danny last summer on Danny’s concrete construction
company and thoroughly enjoyed Danny and the crew. If you went through
North Hill in Minot last summer you would have seen them doing concrete up
there- When we built our new shop last summer- Danny brought the whole
crew and equipment and did the concrete for us — that was soo nice of
him!!–
I hope Sharon keeps us updated- We will surely be praying for them all!–
Lola V
I remember making May baskets and sneaking around town putting them at
people’s doorsteps. It was alot of fun. Through all my travels
growing up, we never did that anywhere else and I remember being so
disappointed about that whenever May Day rolled around. Anyone
remember in Mrs. Conroy’s class, taking old 78 records and she must
have heated them up somehow and then we bent them and made bowls out
of them and sprayed them with gold paint. I think gold paint must
have been sprayed on everything from macaroni cigar boxes to anything
else we made to give our parents. She also had another craft where
she put marbles in the oven and took them out and put them in cold
water and then they cracked inside…When I think about going to
school in Dunseith, I remember the cafeteria with those big bins of
bread and butter; of playing dodge ball and being out on the
playground; of being afraid to go down the rickety metal stairs of the
fire escape during a fire drill and looking down and the entire school
looking up at me. It was a fun time
How many of the kids that went to school at the old school can remember
the old flagpole with the stone base? It sat on the east side of the
school yard and was there for many years, as I recall. The stone base
and the pole were painted white, when I was in school, and from the
picture it was the same in 1946! The high school kids in the picture
are: Bottom to top–
Eleanor Awalt, Shirley Sunderland, Spencer Teal {?}, and Bernice Olson
{Mom}. Thanks Gary!!
Dick
