Joseph Larson

Joseph Larson, 103, of Portland, ND went to meet his Lord on Friday, November 20, 2020 at Manor Care Nursing Home in Elk Grove Village, IL with his wife of 76 years by his side. Funeral services will be held Saturday, December 12, 2020 at 1:00 p.m. at St. John Lutheran Church in Hatton, ND. He will rest in eternity at St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery, Hatton, North Dakota.

His life began August 1, 1917 in Grenora, North Dakota, the fourth child of the nine children of Frank and Edna Teresa (Fisher) Larson.  He grew up there on the farm his father homesteaded and graduated from Grenora High School in 1935. The next step of his life was North Dakota State University, where in 1943, he graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering.  It was also there that he met his wife Eileen Dolve Larson from Hatton, North Dakota. They were married at St. John Lutheran Church in Hatton on June 21, 1944.  After graduation from NDSU, he moved to Cleveland, Ohio where he spent 2 years working for the Air Force as a civilian working on airplane instrumentation.  However, North Dakota and farming were his greatest love.  The couple first returned to Grenora to farm but when Eileen’s family farm became vacant in 1947, they came to Hatton where he remained for the rest of his life.  They have 2 children Patricia (Albert) Schrautemyer and Joseph (Priscilla) Larson II as well as 8 grandchildren; Maria Abe, AJ (Albert), Andrew and Alexander Schrautemyer and Theresa Stefanich, Caroline Erdmann, Leah Hightower and Rebecca Hillesheim and 8 great-grandchildren.

Only one of his siblings survives, his youngest brother Wesley Larson.  Preceding him and death are his parents Frank Larson, Edna Teresa Larson, Brothers Lewis Larson, Frank Larson and sisters Mabel Larson Carroll, Helen Larson Saunders, Eva Larson Hagan, Ruth Larson Harvey, Alice Larson Stewart.

Besides the farm and his wife, Joseph’s greatest love has been music through St. John Church and the Chordsmen and a great Bison fan.