Joan B. Larson

Joan Byrdene Larson passed away at Brookdale in Stevens Point due to Covid with her daughters at her side. Joan was born 17 June, 1932 to first generation, Scandinavian parents Gustav O and Clara M (Dobbe) Halverson. They lived and farmed in Alban Township, Portage county, Wisconsin. She was the youngest of nine children. The family lost four young children to illness and their 19 year old son in a tragic logging accident in the woods. She and her sisters Elvira, Evelyn and Clarice had a close relationship always. The nearby one room Alban schoolhouse was where Joan attended her first 8 years of school. She was nicknamed Jo in school. While in High School at Rosholt, the building was destroyed by a lightning fire on 1 July, 1948. Her father was one of the carpenters that helped build Community Hall on the Fairground hill in Rosholt into a temporary High School. Joan attended the last two years of school graduating from the Hall in 1950. Joan won a great honor at the celebration of Stevens Point Aviation Day shortly after graduation. The 10 July, 1950 Stevens Point Daily Journal’s front page read “Highlight of the day’s activities was the selection by the audience of Miss Joan Halverson, Rosholt as Miss Aviation of 1950...(She was chosen the winner from 5 High Schools at Stevens Point, Wisconsin Rapids, Amherst, Almond, and Rosholt). One of the prizes awarded to her was a round tip ticket to Chicago via Wisconsin Central Airlines by the Flying Club. Joan continued her love of flying throughout her life. She met her beloved husband Gordon J. Larson when he was her very young school bus driver while she attended school at the Community Hall. Gordon was drafted into the Army during the Korean conflict and informed her during his second proposal that he was leaving soon for Germany so they planned a wedding in two weeks. Joan and Gordon were married 22 September, 1951 at Alban Lutheran church which her Norwegian and Danish ancestors had helped build. They took over her parent’s farm before selling their cows and most of the land, and continued to live in the home she was born in. Later they moved to Rosholt where they retired. Our parents had four daughters, Cynthia (Mark) Kluck of Custer, Brenda (Peter Jr.) Filtz of Whiting, Elise (John) Nornberg of Plover and Denise Jurecki of East Troy. Joan was a Key punch operator at Hardware Mutual in Stevens Point from 1950-53. She raised their daughters with the help of her mother who lived with them. She worked for Bushman potatoes and the IGA in Rosholt. She began her career again at Sentry Insurance from 1965-1989 as a Loss Accounting Tech. Over the year's, Joan was a Sunday School teacher, church council member, involved in Ladies aid, Altar Guild, Quilter’s group and Bible study at Faith Lutheran church in Rosholt. She was an honorary grandparent at the local elementary school. Joan loved traveling with her husband and girls across the United States and never forgot the 1961 California Zephyr train trip with her young family. Gordon and Joan loved their annual anniversary trips to Branson, Missouri and one of their final adventures was to travel in Norway for 3 weeks before Gordon died in 2001. Joan loved cooking and baking Norwegian Lefse and rosettes, Lemon meringue pie, doughnuts, and won 2 Pillsbury flour bread making contests. Her enjoyment were embroidery, puzzles, Sudoku, shop til you drop, flower gardening, casino trips and rummy and Rook card games with Gordon and family members. She was our hero always. Her courage and strength came from her deep faith in God, which she passed to us. She beat cancer twice. Mourning the loss of Gramma Jo are her daughters,spouses, grandchildren: Vanessa Kluck, Kenny (Heather Paape) Filtz, Ivan Kluck, Kelly (Ryan) Gajewski, Megan Jurecki, Elizabeth (Jason) Connelly, Mitchell (Mary) Jurecki, Jamee Jurecki, Haley Jurecki, and great grandchildren: Averee and Karlee Kluck, Margaret and Clara Connelly, and Theodore Jurecki. She was preceded in death by grandchildren, Adam, Derek, and John Nornberg. Joan resided at Brookdale for the last six years, and we are grateful for the comforting and special care she received from staff in the memory care unit for the last five years. Pastor Michael Peuse of Faith Lutheran church in Rosholt will preside over private funeral services and burial will be at Alban Lutheran cemetery. Special thanks to Voie Funeral Home of Iola.