Jean Larson

B. Jeanette "Jean" Larson (92) died peacefully on Friday, September 19 in Minneapolis after ten years of battling the aftereffects of the massive stroke suffered after the tornado of 1998. She will be deeply missed by family, friends, and professional colleagues across the country. For 57 years she lived in the only place on earth she wanted to live"St. Peter, MN.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 A.M. Saturday, October 18, 2008 at Trinity Lutheran Church in St. Peter. St. Peter Funeral Home-Klein Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements.

Jean was born February 28, 1916 in Plaza, ND, to Minard and Margaret (Sherven) Glarum. After graduating at the top of her high school class, she attended Lutheran Bible Institute in Minneapolis, MN, where she met her future husband Kermit Larson. She obtained a teaching certificate in 1936 and taught in a one-room country school on the Missouri River flats for three years. In 1940 she and Kerm, who had been forced to quit Lutheran seminary due to ill health, married and moved east where they served two small Lutheran congregations in Oil City, PA. In August of 1943 Kerm tragically died of pneumonia at age 28 and Jean returned to her parents in North Dakota with their 5 month old daughter, Linda. The following summer she took a job in a small Lutheran Home for Dependent Children in Alexandria, MN, where she became "Mother Jean" (mother, father, cook, housekeeper, laundress, and seamstress) for nine youngsters in addition to Linda.

In 1948 she resumed her education at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN, where she was also hired to manage the College Book Store. She graduated magna cum laude in social work in 1954 but continued on as book store manager for 35 years. She was chosen by the National Association of College Stores (NACS) as Manager of the Year in 1974. She was a board member of NACS as well as a faculty member of their nationwide training program. She was an active and devoted member of Trinity Lutheran Church"the first woman in Trinity's history to serve on the church board. She was active in Gustavus Library Associates, Literary Club, and Faculty Women's Club. She was a long-time member of the St. Peter Chamber of Commerce. She was active in Elderhostel, The Minnesota Literacy Council, and was a reading mentor in the elementary schools. She was an adopted "grandmother" to dozens of children. She was a dedicated peace and justice activist and volunteer and was honored as Nicollet County Outstanding Senior Citizen in 1988.

She is survived by daughter Linda and husband Don McNary; grandson Jason and wife, Jennifer Magozzi and granddaughter Carrie Magozzi-Duin and husband Nathan Duin; great grandchildren Alexandra and Tyler Magozzi and Dominic and Jackson Magozzi-Duin; stepson Brian McNary; and foster son Daeho and wife, Sue Kim and grandchildren Miyong and Chanho.

Preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and her sisters Helen, Norma, Mildred, and Betty.

Memorials to the B. Jeanette Larson Scholarship Fund or Linnaeus Arboretum at Gustavus Adolphus College, Trinity Lutheran Church, Redeemer Residence of Minneapolis, or donor's choice.