"Eldie" (his sister, Madeline), "Eldon" (by many of you), "El - don" (my mother), "Dad", "Grandpa", "Uncle Eldie".

Our father passed away on December 13 at 3:45 am. My sister, Jean was singing "Softly and Tenderly, Jesus is calling" to him, comforting him and he just fell asleep. The date does not mean much, but the time of day does. An early December morning would mean he was up by 4:00 am or earlier to start the trucks for a day of hauling grain to the elevator. Mom would be driving a truck too. Even though she had baking to do, Christmas presents to buy and wrap and she had to sew our look alike Christmas dresses. That was Dad, get it done today cause tomorrow is too late. Or, Early is being on time! Late was never an option. Or, if you start something... finish it and put everything back where you found it. Dad loved his wife of 57 years, his four girls, and his grandkids. He loved being a farmer, giving us rides in the bucket of the tractor, dumping us, and laughing. He loved driving us around in the yard on the snowmobile, as the saucer flattened and he would try to make us fall off. He loved hunting, and fishing, and Arizona, the lake and his flowers.

He was proud to be a Norwegian. He loved eating "good" lutefisk, "good lefse" (especially my Mom's), her meatballs and banana cream pie. He did not like turkey, squash, cheese, a hot TV (that meant we were watching it) and being late. He was proud of his four girls, aka, the "Larson Girls". He had a strong work ethic and expected us to do our jobs. When he planted it, we worked it! He taught us how to drive a truck, tractors and hoe sugar beets. He loved it when we rode with him in the tractors. We would stand at the end of the field, and wait for him to stop, open up the door, and yell.... "get in"! We would ride, and and talk and ask questions, and eat his lunch and drink his water. His idea of teaching us to drive, was to start up the pickup and put it in whatever gear and would make it go. Learn by doing, was his motto. Dad was also a handiman. I think he remodeled every "little old ladies" house in Dwight, including the parsonage and the church as long as he was fed "a little lunch".

Dad, you are at peace now. You have your memory and you are well. We know you are driving around in your red pickup, checking on the crops. You are having coffee with your friends, and golfing with your grandson, and finding time to have a cookie with Grandma Belle.