Arthur William Larson

ARTHUR LARSON, 98, passed away on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2015. He was born April 8, 1917, a son of Andrew and Anna Parson Larson. Arthur attended a one room country school house for grades first through eighth grade and then high school in Newman Grove, Neb. He became the valedictorian of his high school graduating class of 1934. He worked his way through college, graduating from the University of Nebraska. Later he attended the University of Illinois and Ohio State University, earning degrees in agriculture and mechanical engineering. He worked for the U.S. Naval Aircraft Department engineering testing laboratory in Washington, D.C. and in Philadelphia, Pa. For most of his career, he was a staff engineer at Standard Oil, which became Amoco and then BP. He was a Boy Scout leader for his son's troop. He was also active in church, where he served as an usher and a deacon, and taught Sunday school. While in Lansing, Ill., he chaired the building committee for the construction of Our Savior Lutheran Church. He also coached his son Bill's little league team. Surviving are his wife, Martha Frances Johnson, who he married on May 20, 1949; a daughter, Linda (Ron) Landin; a son, Bill (Teresa) Larson; grandchildren, Benjamin and Zachary Landin; sister, Helen Fant age 96. He was preceded in death by his parents; and his siblings, Vernor, Vernie, Ray, LeRoy and Richard. Funeral service is 11 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2015, at Trinity English Lutheran Church, Krauss Chapel, 450 W. Washington Blvd., Fort Wayne, (IN 46802). Visitation is from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday at Klaehn, Fahl, Melton Funeral Home, Wayne Street Chapel, 420 W. Wayne St., Fort Wayne, (IN 46802). Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity English Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in Speedway, or the Dunfee Missionary Church in Dunfee.