Ruth M. Larson

Ruth M. Larson, a former school teacher, auditor, loving wife and mother of three, died near her home in Arvada CO, on June 21. Ruth had celebrated her 95th birthday on April 18 at a dinner party in Boulder with ten close friends and family.

The only daughter of Robert and Winnie Oliver, Ruth lived her early years on a farm in Scott County IA. Bookish and dreaming of seeing the world, Ruth studied hard and was class valedictorian. In 1940, she went off to college, one of only 3% of women in her generation to do so. At Monmouth College, she was initiated into Alpha Xi Delta sorority and she remained a lifelong member. After college, Ruth taught school in Iowa before meeting Victor Larson, a 33-year old former professional jazz musician who was at St. Ambrose College preparing to be an instructor in the U.S. Navy. Ruth and Vic married in 1944 and moved to Virginia, where they lived in a dorm at William and Mary College while Vic taught U.S. Navy inductees preparing to head overseas for WWII.

After the war, Ruth and Vic tried living in Ohio for a while, but Vic soon persuaded Ruth that his home state of Colorado was the place to be. They moved out west in 1947.

Ruth and Vic had three daughters, and Ruth became a homemaker with a lot of energy for community activities. She served as a PTA officer, a Girl Scout leader, and a Republican Party precinct captain. Ruth was famous for her humor; as a PTA officer, she was once asked to model an “evening gown” in a PTA fundraising fashion show, so she showed up wearing a flannel granny nightgown with a hot water bottle for a hat!

The Larson family enjoyed family vacations each year, including camping and hotel trips throughout the west and Midwest, along with weekend picnics and hikes all over Colorado, and visits with Ruth’s family in Iowa and Vic’s family in California. They hosted many summer visits to Colorado by Ruth’s extended family.

As her daughters grew older, Ruth returned to the workplace and became an auditor at the Air Force Finance Center. She retired in 1984 to join Vic on many wonderful trips to places like Alaska, Bermuda, Mexico, the Caribbean, New England, Florida, and Canada.

In retirement Ruth grew more active in her church, Peace Lutheran in Arvada. She was one of the tireless ladies who made the church function by providing social services such as catering and transportation for those who could no longer drive. Ruth was also active in her sorority and her retirees association. She attended her last sorority function in April and treasured her strong friendships with sorority sisters Rochelle Chartier and Carol Clair, both of Arvada. She also loved her good friends and neighbors, Lee and Karel Mitchell.

Ruth is survived by her daughters, Marilyn Beth Larson of Arvada CO, Kendra Larson Gladwin of Raleigh NC, and Holly Larson Poage of Montrose CO; two granddaughters, Paige Gladwin Boyles and Jessica Gladwin of Raleigh; one great grandson Jacob Boyles of Raleigh, and in-laws Rodney Wolford of Arvada, John Gladwin of Raleigh, Rodger Poage of Montrose, and Paul Boyles of Raleigh.

Services will be held on Wednesday, June 27th at 10 AM in the Pavilion of Reflection at Olinger Crown Hill Cemetery, 7777 W. 29th Ave., Wheat Ridge, CO.