Harold Lewis Larsen

Harold Lewis Larsen of Houston passed peacefully on the afternoon of Nov. 26, 2018 at his residence at Holly Hall Retirement Community. Harold was born Jan. 9, 1928 in Milwaukee, WI and grew up in Muskegon, MI. After graduation from high school in Feb 1946, he joined the US Army near the end of WWII and served wounded soldiers recovering from the war. After his service, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the Univ. of Michigan in 1952. Harold worked his entire career with Standard Oil of Indiana (subsequently Stanolind/Amoco/BP Petroleum) as a petroleum engineer and then corrosion engineer. He researched and implemented corrosion prevention on pipelines and offshore rigs from Alaska to Argentina, traveling extensively.

Harold met the love of his life, Dawn Grace (Sietsema) Larsen, in Muskegon, MI, and they were married August 21, 1952 shortly after his graduation. After honeymoon on Mackinac Island, they took a borrowed car and drove to the oil fields of Andrews, Texas, where they began their lives together. Newly married and new to Texas, they almost fled back north after a sandstorm in the first days in West Texas. Harold and Dawn stayed and lived in several homes in Andrews, Midland, and Odessa as Harold’s career progressed and their family grew. They had their first child - a daughter, Pamela, and soon followed with two boys, Michael, and then Mark, each two years apart. Several years later, they had a third son, Matthew.

In 1968, Harold and family loaded up the station wagon with the kids and moved to the then oil capital of the world, Tulsa, OK. They lived there until 1973, when they made another relocation to Houston, TX as it become the hub for the oil industry. Harold became well known in the advancing arena of corrosion prevention and cathodic protection until retiring in 1986.

After 60 years of marriage, Dawn, passed on June 2, 2013. Harold is survived by Pam and George Laflin (daughter and husband), and Mitchell and Anna (their son and daughter); Michael and Kathy (son and wife); Mark and Gwi (son and wife); and Matthew and Lori (son and wife), and Erik, Joel and Kyle (their sons). Harold’s brother, Gerald, still lives in Michigan, as does Dawn’s brother, David Sietsema and his wife, Nancy.

He loved sailing, golfing, and hunting. He tinkered with early computers and built everything from sailboats to golf clubs, knives, and canes. He and Dawn loved the outdoors and took the family on camping trips and traveling across the U.S. He was a Scoutmaster before his own children were old enough to participate and capping his Scouting career as a chaperone on an infamous 5-day canoe trip down the Buffalo River in Arkansas with a group of high school girl and boy scouts. He was an elder in his beloved Presbyterian churches in Andrews and in Houston. He loved his years at Holly Hall Retirement Center, enjoying SkipBo with friends and initiating Friday afternoon Social Hour. We will all not forget the lessons of faithfulness, a strict code of honor, and a dash of humor that he left with us.

Many thanks to Elva Saldana, Tracy Mendoza, Minnie Williams and others who supported him as his strength declined, and they made his days as full and comfortable as possible. A Memorial Service will be held at the Chapel at Holly Hall Retirement Community, 2000 Holly Hall St., at 10:00am on Thursday, November 29th. A favorite charity is the American Cancer Society. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Holly Hall Retirement Center - a nonprofit, or a charity of your choice.