Louis Lee Larsen

Louis Lee Larsen, devoted husband, cherished father and grandfather, and faithful friend went peacefully to meet his maker January 7, 2020, at home in Springfield, Ohio. He was 91 years old.

Lou was born in Marion County, Kansas, on December 13, 1928, the second of six children of Julius Lee Larsen and Edna Rowland Larsen. He graduated from Burns Kansas High School in 1946. The next year the family moved to a farm between Emporia and Adair on Rural Route 2 in Lyon County where Lou worked alongside his parents and siblings helping with the crops and cattle.

In 1963 Lou met and married Emma Jean Cradit Wright, who had 3 children from a previous marriage. Twins Jay and Lisa were born to the couple 10 months later. With a growing family Lou left the farm work he loved and moved to Emporia going to work for Kansas Power and Light. He also bartended a couple nights a week at the American Legion where he was liked by all.

In 1973 Lou took a job with CNN Reclamation in Springfield, Ohio, working there for nearly two decades, followed by a few years employment at Lowes’ Home Improvement before retiring in the mid 1990s.

Of hardy Danish stock, Lou was never idle. He was a voracious reader and played many hours of Duplicate Bridge. After retirement he continued to maintain a large garden on his eight acre Springfield homestead, recycle scrap metal, preform odd jobs, and harvest and crack black walnuts by the fire in the cold winter months, which he gifted generously to friends and family. Lou remained at home until death, lovingly cared for by his daughter, Lisa who was more recently joined by Lou’s granddaughter, Libby and her dog Oakley.

Lou was preceded in death by his parents; his wife of 47 years, Jean. He is survived by the twins, Jay Lee Larsen and wife Penny of Irvine, Calif., and Lisa Lee Larsen Good, of the home; step children, Linda Wright Daxon and husband Tom of Oklahoma City, Okla., Nancy Wright Stone and husband David, Peoria, Ariz., Peggy Wright Turner and husband John, Yukon, Okla.; eight grandchildren, Jeffery, Joshua and Elizabeth (Libby) Good, Holly Gonzalez, Eric and Austin Lipp, Ben and Johnny Daxon; and seven great grandchildren, Annabelle and Jaycen Good, Alyce Gonzalez; Macallan, Gwyneth and Sullivan Daxon, and Hayden Lipp. Lou is also survived by two sisters, Jeraldine A. Sprouse of Goleta, CA, and Esther M. Yeakly of Lawrence, KS.

Family and friends are gathering at Brown Bennett Alexander Funeral Home, 201 Cherry St., Cottonwood, Kansas, at 1 p.m. Wednesday, January 15 and then traveling a short distance to Prairie Grove Cemetery for a graveside service and interment.

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