Shirley Elaine Larson

Shirley E. Larson, age 90, Clark, the widow of Lude Larson, died peacefully surrounded by her family at her home in Clark on Saturday afternoon, June 6, 2015 after a brief illness. Visitation will be held on Sunday, June 14, 2015 from 5-7PM at the Furness Funeral Home at Clark and will continue at the church in Clark after 9:00AM on Monday. Funeral services will be held on Monday, June 15, 2015 at 10:30AM in the St. Paul Lutheran Church at Clark with The Reverend Kathy Hibbert officiating with Jody Engels assisting. Casketbearers will be her 10 grandchildren, Tanya Vanderlinde, Eric and Steven Larson, Darin & Ryan Fuller, Tammy Stephens, Kali Mitteness, and Taylor, Brooklyn and Brandon Fauth. Music will be presented by Dorothy Fuller as organist with soloists being Roger Nordhus, Taylor Fauth and Justin Mitteness. Burial will follow in the Rose Hill Cemetery at Clark. She was born Shirley Elaine Paulson on May 10, 1925 northwest of Garden City, the daughter of Charles and Alice (Fischer) Paulson. Shirley spent the first two years of her life on the farm northwest of Garden City and then the family with four children, moved to Glad Valley, SD, west of Mobridge. She attended school at the Butte View School and then the Tip Top School, 8 miles away. A short time later, they returned to the Bear Butte School. Her mother died when she was 10, so many responsibilities were assumed by the other children. Following Shirley's completion of the eighth grade, the family moved to a farm near Crandall and then later to a place near Bailey's Lake. Shirley worked for a period of time in Minneapolis and then later, she and Lorraine, moved to the Black Hills and worked as a waitress in Edgemont and Deadwood, before returning to Clark where she did domestic work for area families and also worked at McCain Foods. Shirley met Ludolf Larson at a dance at the Playhouse in Clark, where he asked her to dance. The couple married on January 29, 1947 in Webster at the Lutheran parsonage. They lived near his parents for a time and then moved to a farm southeast of Clark. They raised cattle, pigs, chickens and sheep over the years as well as small grain. She raised a garden, canned, baked and cooked for the family as well as selling cream and eggs. She enjoyed refinishing furniture, raising flowers and playing cards - second to none though was attending activities of all types, especially those that her children were involved in and now the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In the fall of 1984 they moved into Clark. Lude died in 1996, six months prior to their 50th anniversary. In the community Shirley was an active member of St. Paul Lutheran Church and its women's group, the WELCA, was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Thrifty Gang Extension Club, a 4-H leader and the Clark Senior Citizens. Preceding her in death were her parents, husband Ludolf, and siblings, Jeanette Rafferty, Charles "Buzz" Paulson, Everett Paulson, Lorraine Zeck, Omar "Corky" Paulson, Darrel Paulson and Alyce Dee Brammer. Survivors include her children, Sharon Larson of Clark, Glen (Pam) Larson of Aberdeen, Mary (Loren) Fuller of LeMars, IA, David (Betty) Larson of Park Rapids, MN, Roger Larson of Clark and Nancy (Brian) Fauth of Aberdeen, 10 grandchildren as named above, 10 great-grandchildren, Lydia, Thomas, Laurelyn, Cameron, Zecharia, Jacob, Tiffany, Jasmine, Jack, Emily, and one on the way! She also leaves a brother, Richard (Karen) Paulson of Clark and sisters-in-law, Alma Paulson of Columbia, SC and Ruby (Jim) Larson Bragg of Palo Alto, CA. Furness Funeral Home of Clark is serving the family where there is an on-line registry at www.furnessfuneralhome.com