Kenneth Gerald Larson, 94, of Hastings, Michigan, formerly of Shawnee, Kansas, died Tuesday, May 3, 2016, at MagnumCare of Hastings, after a short illness.

He was born October 28, 1921, in Kansas City, Kansas, to Henry and Elizabeth (Sterner) Larson, the fifth of ten children. He spent his childhood in Argentine, Kansas, and graduated from Argentine High School in 1940. He always enjoyed returning to Argentine for both family and class reunions.

When his nation called, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy on September 12, 1942, and served for three and a half years in the Naval Air Corp during WWII as a Third Class Aviation Mechanic, top-turret gunner, and pilot. When the war ended he returned to Kansas City and joined the active reserve for four years at Olathe Naval Air Station where he was promoted to a Chief Petty Officer in 1948 and served with two fighter squadrons. While in the active reserve he was the first in his family to attend college. He transferred to the inactive reserve after graduating and was honorably discharged from the reserves in 1954.

He graduated from the University of Kansas majoring in Industrial Management. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business in 1950. Always a proud Jayhawker, he enjoyed following the successes of the basketball and football teams.

While home on leave, he met Dorothy Elizabeth (Dottie) Holmes. It was love at first sight and the two were married in 1946. Their first child, Patricia Ann, was born in 1947, quickly followed by a son, Kenneth Richard, in 1948. Steven Gerald arrived in 1955. He was employed by Clark Equipment in 1954 where his job required relocation of his family to St. Joseph, Michigan, and then to Havana, Cuba, where they lived in the midst of Castro's revolution. After moving his family back to the states, he traveled throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa as a manager for international sales. In 1967 he moved his family to South America when he was promoted to Vice President and General Manager of Equipmentos Clark Campinas in San Paulo, Brazil. The family finally returned to the states in 1979. After 28 years of loyal service to Clark Equipment, Ken retired in 1982.

Looking for a place to enjoy retirement, Bella Vista, Arkansas, is where he and Dottie built a lovely home in a community filled with beautiful lakes and golf courses. They enjoyed playing rounds of golf, entertaining friends and family, and introducing people to all the attractions in the area. Ken never complained when Dottie had him drive every new visitor to Eureka Springs or Branson, Missouri.

When Dottie passed away in 1999, Ken sold their home, and in 2001, moved to Pennock Village in Hastings, Michigan, to be close to his sons and their families. There he was blessed to meet Verola Mills, who brightened his final years by introducing him to new friends and including him in a very active social calendar. He enjoyed spending holidays with his family, playing cards with his friends and going "up the hill" to Verola's every evening for dinner.

He is preceded in death by his mother and father, Henry and Elizabeth Larson, his wife, Dorothy, and daughter Patricia, and by his brothers Buster, Henry, Pete, Raymond, Bobbie, and Freddy, and his sisters, Mary (Harvey) Bogardus and Grace (Robert) King. He is survived by his sister, Darlene (Gerald) Lovich of Kansas City, sons Ken (Leanne) Larson and Steve Larson, both of Kalamazoo, Michigan; grandchildren Wendy (Tim) Clise of Brighton, Michigan, Megann Larson, and Paul Larson, both of Portage, Michigan; great grandchildren Emma Clise, Gwenneth Clise, Henry Clise, Peyton Larson and Isaac DeShong; and 26 nieces and nephews.

Visitation and Services

The family will receive visitors at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, May 14, at Amos Funeral Home of Shawnee, Kansas, followed by a celebration of life service at 11:00. Friends are invited to join the family for a luncheon at the conclusion of the service. Burial will be in Johnson County Memorial Garden, Overland Park, Kansas.

Memorial Contributions

The family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Disabled American Veterans at www.dav.org or The American Cancer Society at www.cancer.org