William Daniel Larsen

He was 96 years old and is now reunited with his wife of 71 years, Yvonne Larsen, also a civic leader and volunteer who passed away in 2023. Both Dan and Yvonne gave tremendously to the community and are fondly remembered as one of San Diego's most influential 20th century couples.

Dan's father, Ben Larsen, immigrated to Chicago from his native Denmark in 1909 where he learned the carpentry trade. He married Dan’s mother, Hannah K. Jannson, who came from Sweden in 1916. They moved to San Diego in 1923 where he became a well-known building contractor.

Born in San Diego, Dan attended local schools, graduating from Point Loma High School in 1945. He spent three years in the U.S. Naval Air Corps and then enrolled in UCLA’s Engineering School. Dan later transferred to the University of California, Berkeley and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering.

Upon graduation, Dan returned to San Diego and joined B.O. Larsen Construction Company, his father's general contracting business. His father's company had built the Ford Building (now the Aerospace Museum) in Balboa Park, the Convair Aircraft Plant and the Civic Center (now the County Administration Building). With his father Dan managed the building of numerous schools, the Peterson Gym of San Diego State University, the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company, San Diego City College and the Westgate Cannery.

In 1952, Dan married Yvonne Wickstrom and they had two daughters, Christine and Charlene. Dan's and Yvonne's parents instantly had a connection being Swedish and Danish immigrants. From then on, all family dinners and holiday celebrations were filled with Scandinavian traditions.

In 1961, Dan formed his own firm and managed construction projects for Mercy Hospital, Children's Hospital (now Rady Children's Hospital) and Hemet Hospital. He was best known for his involvement as one of the joint-venture contractors responsible for the construction of the San Diego Stadium (later known as Qualcomm Stadium). In 1968 he joined F.E. Young Construction Co. as Vice-President and General Manager and supervised the building of the United States Post Office on Midway Drive.

In 1968, Dan was appointed by Governor Ronald Reagan to the California Contractors State License Board where he served as president of its San Diego Chapter and to the U.S. Small Business Advisory Council. In 1974, Dan formed the firm of Larsen and Nielsen, specializing in apartment building construction. In 1977, he formed his own construction firm which specialized in the building of parking lots and site improvement projects, retiring in 1996.

Throughout his life, Dan was heavily involved in San Diego civic activities. He served on the San Diego Grand Jury, as a member and later Chairman of the San Diego Port District, as President of the San Diego Taxpayers Association, the University Club, the San Diego Consular Corps, and the Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC).

In 1985, San Diego Mayor Roger Hedgecock proclaimed that Dan had inspired the redevelopment of downtown San Diego through his years of dedicated service on the CCDC. During his term, the CCDC helped to create new retail, office, and residential developments as well as additional cultural arts, helping to revitalize downtown San Diego. Governor Pete Wilson wrote to Dan, "the gift of your time and talent in serving on the Centre City Development Corporation stimulated and transformed the old tired center into a new and exciting downtown."

Dan acted as the Honorary Consul of Denmark for San Diego from 1964 to 1996. He was awarded Denmark's Knight First Class of the Royal Order of Dannebrog for service to Denmark by Queen Margrethe II in 1974. As Consul, Dan was instrumental in bringing Legoland to San Diego.

Dan also served on Boards of Directors of several community non-profit organizations including Sharp Hospital, the San Diego Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Lions Club, the Downtown YMCA, the Opera Guild, St Paul's Senior Services, St. Paul's Pace (All Inclusive Care for the Elderly) and the Boys and Girls Foundation.

Dan was honored by the National Conference of Christians and Jews in 1978, by Meals and Wheels in 1993 and by St Paul's Loving Heart in 2004. In 2015, Dan was inducted into Point Loma High School's Hall of Fame.

One of Dan's most significant community involvements was with Sharp Hospital as a Board Member from 1978 to 2003 and as Chairman from 1996 to 2000. When Dan joined the Board, Sharp was one hospital. It soon grew to become six hospitals, several clinics and three medical groups with $750 million in revenue and about 9,000 employees in 1997. With Yvonne, Dan led the first major construction fundraising campaign undertaken by the Sharp HealthCare Foundation, raising $15 million for the construction of Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women, which opened in 1992. In 1997 Dan and Yvonne received the James C. Haugh Distinguished Service Award for their generosity, leadership, and dedication to Sharp HealthCare.

Dan was appointed to The Port Commission of San Diego where he served from 1985 to 1993 and as Chairman in 1987. Dan led the Port with a focus on ensuring the San Diego waterfront was not "walled off" by high rise buildings. Also during his term, Harbor Drive was landscaped from Harbor Island to Grape Street, bicycle and pedestrian paths were installed, moorings were put in place to control boat anchorage, a cruise terminal was built on the B Street Pier, a new pier for the Maritime Museum was put in place, the G Street Mole was cleaned up, Seaport Village was developed, Navy Field was acquired for hotel development and Embarcadero Park (22 acres) was created with a 500 boat marina. The Convention Center was also completed, and the America's Cup Races were held in San Diego which brought positive worldwide attention to the city.

When he was not working, Dan enjoyed golf, sailing, tennis and traveling with family and friends. For 39 years during football season, Dan and Yvonne joined their friends every week in each other's homes for potlucks and Monday Night Football.

Throughout his life, Dan maintained close friendships with a group of childhood friends. He often said he and his friends were all brought up with a strong work ethic and expected to be successful in work and in giving back to their community. He never thought about living any other way.

Dan is survived by his two daughters and husbands Christine Andrews (Craig Andrews) and Charlene Larsen (Larry Murrill), two grandchildren: Lisa Andrews Bresnahan (husband Matt Bresnahan) and Daniel Andrews (wife Lauren Andrews) and three great-grandchildren: Madeline, Quinn and Camden Joy. A family service is planned. Donations can be made in his memory to Sharp Healthcare, the San Diego Zoo, and St. Paul's Senior Services.