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Violet Larson Obituary

Violet Merie Larson of Brooklyn Center, formerly of Lake City, passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 9, 2018, at Beehive Homes in Elk River.
    She was born Dec. 7, 1926, to Ellen Marie (Anderson) Lindberg and Anton Lindberg in Currie Minn. She attended Currie Public Schools and Tracy High School in Tracy, Minn. She graduated from high school in 1945. Vi’s friends fondly called her “Lindy” as she was growing up.  After graduating high school, she found there wasn’t much for her to do in her small town and she wanted to experience the excitement of the big city. She bought a one-way bus ticket to Minneapolis. She moved into Dunwoody woman’s dorm and began her retail career at Dayton’s Department Store where she worked for 13 years.  She enjoyed her job where she worked with the buyer in her department.   
    In 1959, on a blind date, she met the love of her life, Raymond Melvin Larson. On March 12, 1960, they were married in Minneapolis at Bethlehem Lutheran Church.  Shortly after being married, Ray’s job at Gould transferred him to Howell, Mich. On June 7, 1961, they welcomed their first daughter, Mary Ellen Larson. In 1963 Ray was transferred back to Minneapolis. On Feb. 28, 1964, they welcomed their second daughter into their home, Nancy Merie Larson. In 1966 once again Ray’s job transferred him back to Howell, Mich.
    Violet settled into the community and enjoyed her life as a stay-at-home mom. She loved to cook, bake, play cards, tend to her flowers in her yard and socialize with friends. Vi enjoyed family vacations, where she and her husband took their daughters to many places in the United States. She was a member of Grace Lutheran Church and the Elks Club in Howell.
    In 1976, once again Ray was transferred one last time to Lake City.  She and Ray and their daughters settled into the community for the next 37 years.  Violet started working at the Lake City Nursing Home in 1978. She was one of the first workers in the brand new facility. She worked in the kitchen as a dietary aide for 10 years.   She loved working with the residents and treated each one with loving care and genuine kindness. She also joined a woman’s bowling league and enjoyed this new hobby for several years.  Violet was a member of First Lutheran Church in Lake City. She retired from the nursing home in 1988.  When Ray retired in 1989, they began spending winters in Apache Junction, Ariz. at Lost Dutchman Village. Vi enjoyed being involved in the retirement community and attending the many activities that were offered there. For the next 23 years, Vi and Ray split their time between Lake City and Apache Junction. During that time they welcomed four grandchildren. Violet was most proud of her grandchildren and loved spending time with them.
    In 2015 Vi’s health started failing, and they sold both of their places in Arizona and Minnesota. They moved into an independent living facility in Brooklyn Park, Minn. They were members of Lutheran Church of the Masters in Brooklyn Center and enjoyed spending time with family. Once again Violet enjoyed socializing and participating in the activities offered. Violet’s health continued to deteriorate, and the decision was made to move her into a memory care facility in Ramsey, Minn.  Her final home was Beehive Homes in Elk River, Minn.  Violet was a well-liked resident loved by all the wonderful caregivers. In her final days she was surrounded by her grandchildren, daughters, husband and many wonderful family members.  
    In July 2017, Violet’s daughter, Nancy took her to California to see her loving sister for her 98th birthday. They hadn’t seen each other for 20 years but were always in touch through letters and phone calls. Vi and her sister Helen held hands and each told each other how glad they were sisters and that they loved each other.  It was a very special trip for Vi and the last one of her long life.  Three weeks after Vi returned to Minnesota her sister passed away.  
    Violet is survived by her loving husband of 58 years, Raymond; daughters, Mary Ellen Larson-Hacker of Fort Myers, Fla. and Nancy Merie (Greg) Moeller of Big Lake, Minn.; granddaughters, Chelsea Anderson of New York City, N.Y, Haley Anderson of Ft. Myers, Fla., Holly Larson of Big Lake; grandson, Donald Anderson of Fort Myers; one great-grandson, Noah Hughes of Fort Myers; along with many wonderful nieces and nephews, sisters-in-law, and great-nieces and great-nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ellen and Anton Lindberg, brothers, Elmer and Marvin Lindberg and sister, Helen Nate.
    Violet was loved by everyone she came in contact with. She will be remembered as a kind, loving and caring wife, mother, and grandmother.  Her joys in life were her husband, daughters and grandchildren and recently her great-grandson. She will be greatly missed by her family who all adored her.
    The entire family wants to say thank you to St. Benedict’s Senior Community for taking such wonderful care of Violet when she lived there and a very special thank you to all the wonderful staff at Beehive Homes in Elk River where she received beyond excellent care along with lots of TLC during her final days.
    A celebration of Violet’s life will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 7, at Saron Lutheran Church in Big Lake. Visitation will be 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, July 6 at Peterson-Grimsmo Funeral Chapel and one hour prior to services at the church on Saturday. Please visit the website www.peterson-grimsmochapel.com to leave condolences.
    Burial will be on Monday, July 9 at Fort Snelling in St. Paul.
 

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