Marian H. Larson passed away unexpectedly of natural causes on July 22, 2022 at her home in the Helena Valley at the age of 93 years. She was born Marian Helen Lindstrom on December 30, 1928 at St. Peter’s Hospital in Helena, MT to Herman E. Lindstrom and Mary T. Wandrie Lindstrom joining older brothers Gerald and Kenneth. Marian lived her whole life in only three homes in Helena. She grew up on Broadway attending Jefferson and Central Schools and graduating from Helena High School in 1946.
Marian married Kenneth M. Larson, a fellow Helena High graduate, on October 17, 1953, and they built a home on Eighth Avenue where they raised their three children Christine, Mark, and Kevin. In 1977 they moved to the Helena Valley where they remained the rest of their lives. Kenneth predeceased Marian in 2015 and she continued to live independently in the family home.
Marian attended Helena Business College after high school and was employed as a secretary for the State of Montana for many years, retiring from the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation in 1989. Marian and Ken enjoyed spending summers with family and friends at their Seeley Lake cabin in their Golden Years. She was a longtime member of St. John’s Lutheran Church and a charter member of New Life Lutheran Church after they moved to the Valley.
Marian was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, remembering every special occasion, birthday, and holiday with a greeting card. She loved being a homebody, sewing, crafting, and crocheting numerous afghans for the home and cabin. She was an excellent cook, most recently making Watergate salad and chocolate chip cookies for her daughter when she visited just a few weeks ago. She always had a faithful dog or cat by her side but by her own admission she was much more of a dog person than a cat person.
Marian had a large group of friends and family that she faithfully texted every night until the night she passed away to say “Sweet Dreams” and “Blessings and Prayers for a good night”.
Marian was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers, and her beloved husband Kenneth to whom she was married for 61 years. She is survived by her daughter Christine Perry (Mark) of Havre, MT, Mark Larson (Trena) of Helena, and Kevin Larson of Northfield, Vermont. She is also survived by 5 grandchildren: Heather McCrocklin (Clint) of New Braunfels, TX, Joshua Perry (Maggie) of Annanndale, VA, Rebecca Jones (Joshua) of Spring Branch, TX, Wade Ness of Helena, and Karina Densmore (Randy) of Havre and 12 great grandchildren. She is also survived by her dear niece Patti Russ (Tom) and family of Montana City and Clancy, MT and several other nieces, nephews, and extended family.
Special thanks go to neighbors Norm and Valerie Hellerman who kept an eye out for mom and brought the newspaper in everyday, Bill and Mary Hunt who mowed the back lot and lent a helping hand, Annette Jacobsen who brought the weekly bulletins from St. John’s Lutheran Church so she could stay connected to the congregation, and Pastor Ken Duvall who faithfully served her Holy Communion in the home. Memorials can be sent to the Helena YWCA, Our Place, or to an organization of your choice.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, August 2nd at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, 3750 N. Montana Ave. with a reception to follow. Graveside service will follow at 3 p.m. at the Montana State Veterans Cemetery at Fort Harrison. Please visit www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer a condolence or to share a memory of Marian.
