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 Larsen, Gregory S. A teacher, and church music director -- died peacefully on March 10th in Denver, Colo. Greg was surrounded by his family when he passed away from brain cancer. He was 64. Greg's career spanned over 40 years. His dedication to excellence influenced several generations of students, organists, choirs, parishioners, teachers, and artists. Greg played his last service at The Church of the Ascension on Christmas Day 2011. He retired from teaching middle-school music at Graland Country Day School in 2008, but continued to substitute teach until his cancer diagnosis in January 2011. Greg was born in Jacksonville, Florida and grew up Faribault, Minnesota. He took an interest in music at a young age. His sisters remember waking up very early in the morning to the sounds of a 10 year old playing Grieg, Bach, Rachmaninoff, Gershwin, and other composers on the piano. Greg was a teenage choirmaster and organist at the Cathedral of Our Merciful Savior. His parents, Homer and Helen, found it difficult to hire someone who could teach Greg anything new on the Cathedral's pipe organ. His sisters recall "none of this ever seemed unusual to us, although we always shared the sense with the rest of our family that Greg had unique gifts and abilities." After graduating from the University of Minnesota, Greg went on to study arts administration at Indiana University. He completed a graduate degree from the University of Montana-Missoula, at the age of 50, in integrated arts education. Greg also served as choir director and organist for a number of other churches: St. James On-the-Parkway (Minneapolis MN, 1967-1978); St. James Lutheran (Minneapolis, early 1980s); St. John the Evangelist (St. Paul MN, 1983-1988); St. Stephen The Martyr (Edina MN, 1988-1993); St. Paul's Episcopal Church (Minneapolis MN, 1993-1999); and interim positions at a number of other parishes. Greg loved church music, but the people he met through the church were equally important. Greg met his future wife, Laurie, through the choir at St. James On-the-Parkway. Throughout his career, Greg took an interest in facilitating the renovation and installation of pipe organs. One of the organ builders he worked closely with, Patrick Murphy, wrote the following: "I have always been inspired by people who are passionate about things. Greg's nurturing spirit and passion propelled me to grow and mature into becoming a better creator of musical instruments." At least two pipe organ projects Greg worked on have been featured in The American Organist magazine. Those who knew Greg well recalled that he was most happy teaching young people about the beauty of music and the arts. Greg taught general and choral music at a number of schools including: Northeast Junior High School (Minneapolis MN, 1969-1971); Shattuck School-St. Mary's Hall (Faribault MN, 1971-1975); The Blake School (Hopkins MN, 1975-1999); Black Hawk Middle School (Eagan MN, 1999-2002); and Graland Country Day School (Denver CO, 2002-2008). Choirs conducted by Greg won a number of awards at competitions. He was an instructor, lecturer, and advisor to the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis Institute of the Arts, Hamline University, and Canton (Ohio) Museum of Art. Several years ago, the President of Wellesley College recognized Greg as a "transformative teacher." Always humble, Greg never talked about these achievements. Greg was also an expert crossword puzzle solver, authority on Frank Lloyd Wright, and trove of random historical facts. No one could beat him at Jeopardy. Greg will be remembered as a very hard worker, creative, witty, pensive, gentlemanly, and most importantly, a lifelong teacher. One of Greg's favorite students, Jennifer Hanson, wrote of Mr. Larsen: "I still can't believe that someone as vigorous and full of passion for life and music and people and architecture and family could be felled this way when there was still so much the world needed from him. I'll never think of Mr. Larsen any other way than bouncing up and down from the keyboard, fingers dancing, or with the conducting wand in hand, that gleeful half smile on his face, transitioning from broad to the most sensitive movements easily. I have to believe heaven needs a conductor." Greg is survived by his loving wife of 42 years, Laurie; son and daughter- in-law, Peter and Meghan (Berkeley CA); son, Joseph (Minneapolis MN); sister, Andrea Strowd (Pima AZ); sister and brother-in-law, Lisa Larsen and Raymond Flaherty (Helena MT); sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Julie Johnson and Paul Frenz (Minneapolis MN); two nephews, Timothy Strowd (Pima AZ) and Jake Flaherty (Helena MT); stepmother-in law, Eva Johnson (Edina MN); and sheepdog-mix, Finn (Denver CO). Memorial service will be held at 10:30 AM Saturday, April 28, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1917 Logan Ave. S., Mpls. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to "Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota" (651-603-0720), St. Paul's Episcopal church, or the donor's choice.
Published in Star Tribune on April 22, 2012
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