Larson, John G.

John G. Larson, 76, of Iowa City, died Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012, at Oaknoll Retirement Residence. Memorial services will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 5, at Zion Lutheran Church in Iowa City, with the Rev. Mark Pries officiating. Burial will be at Memory Gardens Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City.

John G. Larson was born Feb. 8, 1936, in Litchfield, Minn., the son of the Rev. Joseph G. Larson and Ardis H. (Pearson) Larson. He graduated from Harcourt, Iowa High School in 1955 and from Buena Vista College in 1960, with a degree in education. John married Marilyn Y. Larson on July 13, 1957, in Bode, Iowa. John taught and coached in high school in the Omaha area until he accepted a position with the Swea City Schools, where he taught and coached for many years. Upon retiring in 1990, he and Marilyn moved to Lake Panorama in Panora, Iowa, where they resided until moving to Iowa City in 2004 to be closer to the Iowa Hawkeyes!

Growing up, John was a gifted athlete, excelling in basketball and baseball. As a coach, he most enjoyed coaching track, and to this day the annual John Larson Relays are held in the North Kossuth school system in his honor. John was a Scout leader when his sons were younger. He was a member of the state and national education associations, active in the local community groups where they lived, and faithful member of the churches in those communities, those being the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Swea City and presently the Zion Lutheran Church in Iowa City. Most important to John was his family. They enjoyed summer camping trips, spending time at their summer home in Alexandria, Minn., where he liked to fish and share special times with those he loved.

His family includes his wife, Marilyn; two sons, Jay Larson and his wife, Mary Bergstrom, of Shoreline, Wash., and Steve Larson of Minneapolis; his treasured grandchildren, Meredith M. Larson and Julian G. Larson; and his sisters, Marie Anderson of St. Paul, Minn., and Eunice Waller (Roger) of Nashua, Iowa.

John was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Dorothy Cooper and Evelyn Knutson; and daughter-in-law, Carol “Sam” Larson.

Memorial donations can be made in John's memory to Zion Lutheran Church, Be the Match Foundation (National Marrow Donor Program), or Iowa City Hospice.

Online condolences may be sent for his family through the Web at www.gayandciha.com.

Published Sept. 4, 2012 in The Gazette