Marilyn Larsen

Marilyn Jean Carlson Larsen, born 28 August, 1928 in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois. She attended public schools in Rockford, graduating from East High School in 1946. The Carlson family was poor due to the WWI disability of her father, and her Mom did household chores for neighbors. After graduation she worked as a key-punch operator for an Insurance firm. Marilyn married James Edward Larsen, a West High School graduate, on 27th of June, 1947. The young couple lived in Rockford where Jim worked for the Rockford Furniture factory as a draftsman/designer. Their first child Dennis was born 18 October, 1948 and the second offspring was Cynthia Jean, born the 30th of April, 1951. In July of 1951 the young family visited Tucson, Arizona where Jim's parents had moved for his mother's health. After returning, the factory reneged on their promise concerning their vacation and Jim quit. From there the traveled family moved to Arizona where they have lived ever since. On 14 July, 1954 a third child Jody was born. Jim had found employment and Marilyn was busy with homemaking, teaching cooking to 4H girls, bowling in a women's league , playing bridge. The family grew as most do and as of 2012, there were three children, 3 in-laws, 8 grand children with 5 grand children-in laws, and 6 great grand children.as shown below; ages 8 yrs.to 4 mo. Her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren gave her endless hours of joy. When Marilyn was not consumed with family she enlarged her family by befriending two elderly ladies with no family near to care for them. She took them under her wing of family, caring for them until their deaths. These were typical examples of Marilyn's caring nature. After the children were gone from the Larsen household Marilyn took a job at the UofA Bookstore. After 14 years she retired. The following year Jim retired also and they enjoyed many years of automobile travel to see many National Parks along with friends and family. In 2008 we began to suspect something amiss with her memory. This was alarming to the family because she had always been the picture of health with the exception of a 1976 battle with breast cancer which has remained in total remission. A memory disorder was diagnosed as Dementia and began medication which slowed her symptoms of her disease. In August, 2011, the Larsens moved to a retirement complex. After a few weeks and a few falls, wandering and memory lapses the decision was made to move Marilyn into the Memory Care facility of the complex. After a few months of memory care, she suffered a massive stroke on January 1, 2012 which left her comatose and paralyzed. We were told by physicians that her stroke was not relate to her dementia disorder. After a week of hospice care she passed away on January 8, 2012. She is interred at the Memorial Columbarium at Northminster Presbyterian Church here in Tucson. Her presence will be sorely missed by numerous friends and family. Although her body is gone her spirit lives on in her family.