Charlotte Larsen

MOM WE WILL MISS YOU VERY MUCH Charlotte Vivian Nelson was born in a farming community near Verdigre Nebraska. She was the youngest of 7 surviving children (4 brothers and 2 sisters). Mom described herself as a tom boy because she would prefer being outside with the guys and the animals rather than playing inside. After high school graduation, Mom enlisted in the Army as a WAC stenographer and served in the military for 2 years where she received the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Ribbon with 3 Bronze Battle Stars; the Philippine Liberation Ribbon with 1 Bronze Battle Star; the WAAC Service Ribbon; 2 Overseas Service Bars; a Good Conduct Medal; a Dist. Unit Badge; and a 1st 2nd Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster. Within the two short years of her service Mom achieved the rank of Sergeant First Class. After the Army she married Art Larsen and had 2 children, Ken and Lynne. Art’s job with the US Geological Survey consisted of 6 month assignments which required Art to go ahead of the family to find a house, leaving Mom with us. Once Art found a place and we were out of school we would join him at the new location. This required Mom to be traveling with two small children by car by herself at a time when cell phones were non-existent. Never once did we hear her complain. Finally the family settled in Evergreen, CO in 1964. Starting in the later part of the 1960’s, Mom worked part time as a librarian’s assistant at Evergreen Junior High School. When she moved to Westminster in 1986, she worked at the Perl Mack Library until she retired. As a member of the United Methodist Church, she volunteered to maintain the library and help with the Food Bank. To help with fund raising for the church, she would embroider items and make crafts for the annual sale. Mom loved adventure. Her travels included international trips to Denmark, Saudi Arabia, Ecuador, the island of Trinidad and Tobago in the West Indies, and England. Even though she left Nebraska as a young adult, she remained loyal to the state and her Nebraska family. Almost every summer we would go back to the farm to visit family and catch up on the local happenings. Even after her brothers and sisters passed away and the family farm sold, she still kept up with the local news by receiving the local paper, the Verdigre Eagle. College football and professional baseball were her two favorite sports. She loved cheering for the University of Nebraska Huskers football team. It was known that you did not call her when the Huskers were playing because she would be planted in front of the TV decked out in her Huskers sweatshirt cheering for her beloved team. However when she moved to Colorado, she cheered for the Colorado Buffaloes but only if they weren’t playing against her Huskers. While growing up, she enjoyed listening to the St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals baseball teams but when the Rockies came to town they became her number one team. Survivors include her husband, Arthur Larsen of Evergreen, CO; daughter Lynne Larsen of Westminster, CO; son Ken Larsen and his wife Maria del Carmen; grandchildren Kimberly, Kristopher, and Charmaine all from Castle Rock, CO; nephews and nieces Woodrow, Arlie, and Charles Nelson, Donnie, Christine, Karla, Diane, and Eric Larsen, Eddie Larsen, Rick, Bud, and Barry Clayton and their families along with numerous great nephews and nieces and great-great nephews and nieces. Preceded her in death were her parents Nels and Emma, brothers Harley, Fred, Dave, and Arnold, sisters, Leona and Elsie and numerous cousins. A military service for family members will be held at Fort Logan Cemetery on Wednesday July 11, 2012.