LARSEN, Vernon W.

Today's News-Herald, Lake havasu City, AZ - Published Wednesday, June 8, 2011 - Vernon W. Larsen Oct. 2, 1917 — Jun. 6, 2011 Vernon W. Larsen, age 93, of Minneapolis, and Lake Havasu City, died at Knapp Haven Nursing Home in Chetek, Wis., Monday, following many years of battling heart disease. He was born Oct. 2, 1917, in Astoria, S.D., to Gelena and Alf Larsen. Soon after graduation from Astoria High School in 1938, he left the family farm for employment with McGinnis Aviation in Minneapolis, where he developed his passion for airplanes. Vernon enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force on Apr. 12, 1944, serving as an airplane- propeller specialist stationed at Sheppard Field in Wichita Falls, Texas, where he worked primarily on B-25s. He attained the rank of Corp. There, he met his future wife, Evelyn Staffeldt, who was a 1st Lt. in the Army Nurse Corp. On Jan. 27, 1945, they were married at Wichita Falls. The following day, Evelyn shipped out to the Philippine Islands while Vernon remained stateside. He was honorably discharged two months after Evelyn May 2, 1946. After leaving the service, he worked for Van Dusen Aircraft in Minneapolis, obtained his private pilot license in 1948, and aircraft-engine mechanic license in 1949. He then worked with his brother, Johan, in automotive product sales. He invented a bottling machine for their product, "Bars Leaks.” But his real love, aviation, beckoned, and in 1957, he began work as a mechanic and inspector for Braniff Airlines, then Western Airlines and finally, Delta Airlines. During the early 1960s, Vern continued his aviation education through the St. Paul Vocational education system. He also started his sideline business, "Sam's Fixit.” He retired from commercial airline work in 1982, but continued to collect and repair all things broken. He truly had a mechanical gift and could repair almost anything. In 1982, Vern and Evelyn built a winter home in Lake Havasu City, where he found other retired aviators and enjoyed rebuilding antique aircraft. Throughout his life, he helped restore many airplanes. Vernon was a member of Lake Nokomis Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, from 1941, and Mt. Olive Lutheran Church in Lake Havasu City, since 1982. He attended Chetek Lutheran Church while living with his son for the last four years of his life. He was a member of the Ebenezer Associates Governing Council, Teamsters Local 2747, Delta Pioneers, Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) and the OX5 Aviation Pioneers. Vernon is survived by his two daughters, Judith (Dwight) Mortland, of Faribault, Minn., and Vicki (Terry) Anderson, M.D., of Cloquet, Minn.; son, James Therese (Terrie), of Chetek, Wis.; three grandchildren; five stepgrandchildren; one great-grandchild; 10 step-great-grandchildren; one step-great-great-grandchild; sister, Frances Hansen, of Minneapolis; one brother, Johan (Joann), of Eden Prairie, Minn.; and one sister-in-law, Eleanor Lott, of Mesa. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn. She passed away July 1, 2009, after 64 years of marriage. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m., Friday at Lake Nokomis Lutheran Church, 5011 S. 31st Ave., Minneapolis. Visitation will be for one hour prior to the funeral. Burial will follow the funeral at Sunset Funeral and Cemetery. Memorials preferred in Vern's name to Mt. Olive Lutheran Church. Burnham-Ours Funeral Home, Chetek, Wis., has been entrusted with the arrangements.