Darwin C. Larson

Mr. Darwin C. Larson, age 86, of St. Clair Shores passed away on October 14, 2010. Survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Roberta A. Larson. Adored father of Laura (Jeffery Santrock) Larson and Nancy Ratajczak. He is also survived by his six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Darwin was born November 26, 1923 in Litchfield Minnesota. He was raised on a farm where he started working at the age of 4 (milking cows). His memories of the farm were many – from sisters dressing him in girls clothes, carving a chess set with his brother, having many “accidents” involving cats, and getting polio in 1937. He was one of the fortunate ones. He also learned how to play cribbage as a boy and played that game almost daily until about a month before his death.

He met Roberta washing dishes in the women’s dorm at Hamline University. He graduated with a B.S. from Hamline and a Masters degree from Marquette University in Milwaukee Wisconsin. Darwin and Roberta married on August 23, 1947 and soon became homeowners in Erskine Minnesota where Darwin was the Principal of every grade – from kindergarten to 12th. It was there that he became active in a barbershop quartet which provided most of the entertainment and social life in that small town. The family moved to Michigan in 1955.

He resided in St. Clair Shores for over 50 years and spent winters in Sarasota Florida for at least 25 years. He retired from Denby High School where he was an inspirational teacher of Physics. He established lifelong friendships with teachers and students alike and had a profound influence on many. Darwin was also an amateur inventor (a trait of his fathers), a practical joker and admired by everyone who knew him.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Post-Polio Health International http://www.post-polio.org/donhow.html or a charity of your choice would be appreciated. Funeral arrangements are being made through Resurrection Funeral Home.