Berkley Gene Larson

Berkley was born on the family farm in Frederic, Wisconsin on June 8, 1932. They reaped good harvests from the rich soil of northern Wisconsin and were able to add indoor plumbing and electricity after World War II. Family trips by car to Colorado, Wyoming and Washington state set him on a path of being a life-long learner. Summer jobs working long hard hours in the local canning factory provided the resources for Berk to begin his college studies. Summer jobs in the map department at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. provided resources for his next chapter in higher education. Berk especially loved studying about places all over the world and ultimately earned advanced degrees in geography, geology, education, library science and public administration.

He met fellow student, Eleanor Ruth Ford at what is now University of Wisconsin- River Falls. He proposed in a rowboat at a college-age church outing but waited for her to graduate, then gave her a ring and they married on August 18, 1956. He was devoted to her throughout their 68 years of marriage. When she passed away in October 2024, he felt lost, untethered, resulting in these last ninety days of his life being extremely painful for him. Medical examiners do not list “cause of death” to be a broken heart. But those of us who loved them, know the wiser.

Berk and Eleanor raised three children and lived many places including Texas, Wisconsin, Michigan, Montana, and Minnesota. But Colorado Springs, Colorado was most beloved to them. When their health dictated that they leave to be near their daughters, they grieved to see the mountains again.

Although Berk worked in small colleges in many locations; the job in which he displayed his gifting most clearly was developing and directing the library in a new community college being established in 1969 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Pikes Peak Community College. Yet while maintaining full-time employment, he designed and was the general contractor for many custom homes with a beautiful view, including a hexagon shaped house.

Berk readily made a joke and broke the tension. He willingly laughed at himself. He easily made friends of executive and ex-cons and broke through barriers. He mourned the passing of many friends made in each of the ages and stations of his life. He made friends and inquired about the life of each person he met, even to the end. Resulting in his becoming endeared to his caregivers in these recent years.

He valued the natural world, learning, working hard, a job well done, cleaning up after yourself, good humor, following the law, doing the right thing, church attendance, honesty, integrity, kindness, faithfulness, the United States, the military, and each person he met.

He loved rocks, traveling, camping, colored leaves in the autumn, reading, books, maps, the Green Bay Packers, the Denver Broncos, United States Air Force Academy football, wood working, his dear friends and being with family. He helped his children with remodeling, comforted them in sorrow and rejoiced in his grandchildren’s milestones.

He was confused and troubled by evil and sickness and longed for all to be right with the world and its inhabitants.

His life could be summed up in Micah 6:8:

“God has shown to you, O man, what is good;

And what does the Lord require of you

But to do justly, to love mercy,

And to walk humbly with your God?”

And his hope could be summed up with Jesus’ words in John 14:1-4:

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

In My Father’s house are many mansions;

if it were not so,I would have told you.

I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come again and receive you to Myself;

that where I am, there you may be also.

And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

Jesus prepared a custom mansion with a view into the glories of heaven for Berkley Larson. And Jesus will one day, in fact, set all things right for this earth and all who believe His promises.

Berkley was preceded in death by his parents Ervin and Hazel Larson, his wife Eleanor Larson, and his grandson James Anderlitch. He is survived by daughters Sally (Robert) Anderlitch and Nancy (Cary) Ditman of Keller, Texas; son Vince (Silke) Larson of Denver; brother Alan Larson of Iowa; granddaughters: Sarah (Robert) Upshaw; Berkley and Ursula Larson; grandsons Peter (Mercedes) Anderlitch; Adam and Zachary Thamel, as well as five great-grandchildren, and a vast number extended family and friends.