Larry Dean Larson

Larry Dean Larson, a singer/musician for more than 50 years, died September 20, 2015, in Oklahoma City after a lengthy illness. He was 75 and a resident of Edmond. His funeral will be held Thursday, September 24, at Westminster Presbyterian Church, under the direction of Hahn-Cook Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Larry D. Larson Memorial Music Scholarship in care of Westminster Presbyterian Church Worship and Music Ministry. Mr. Larson was born July 12, 1940, in Watertown, SD, to Lester and Venita (Selby) Larson. His formative years were spent in Minnesota and in Sioux Falls, SD. He majored in music at Augustana College in South Dakota, and after earning his degree he joined the United States Navy, where he became a member of the Navy Band. At the age of 23 he had the privilege of playing for and meeting President John F. Kennedy in Costa Rica, and then three months later stood on Pennsylvania Avenue in the late President Kennedy’s guard of honor at his funeral. After four years of naval service, Larry moved to San Diego, CA, where he became associate choral director of the San Diego Symphony. He moved to Oklahoma City in 1971 and took a job with a music publisher, Hansen Publishing Co. He worked as choir director at Village United Methodist Church for 15 years, and as director of music ministries at Church of the Servant for 21 years. He also was an adjunct music professor at Oklahoma City Community College, where he gave voice lessons. Larry earned a master’s degree in choral conducting at the University of Oklahoma in 1992. Music was his passion, and he was a lifetime member of the Westminster Presbyterian Chancel Choir and the Windsong Chamber Choir; he also was a featured soloist with the Cimarron Circuit Opera Company for many years. In addition, he took his choir at Church of The Servant on many tours, including Europe, Caribbean cruises, and to sing at Carnegie Hall. Once, he even auditioned for the Metropolitan Opera Company in front of tenor Luciano Pavarotti and operatic soprano Beverly Sills. Mr. Larson was preceded in death by his father, Lester Larson, and his brother, Robert Larson. He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Venita Larson Olthoff and Chauncy Olthoff of Peoria, AZ; his wife, Jonnie Tolle Larson, Edmond; son Eric Larson and his wife, Kristin, Oklahoma City; son David Larson, Oklahoma City; stepdaughter Tyler Ray and husband Ean, Oklahoma City; stepson Christian Rogers and wife Stefanie, Edmond; 11 grandchildren; sister-in-law Sandy Larson of Austin, TX, a niece and two nephews. The family expresses its sincere gratitude to Drs. Radhika Medipalli, Fadi F. Nasr, John Harkess and Phillip Adamson for the excellent care they provided for Larry over the past seven years.