Gordon Kenneth Larson

Gordon Kenneth

Larson

After a brief illness, Gordon K. Larson passed away June 12, 2005, at 5:30 p.m., in The Villages, Fla., at age 80.

He was born in Akron, Ohio, on June 15, 1924, to Nels August and Bertha Svensdotter Larson. Gordon was a longtime resident of Akron, Ohio, spending winters in Florida until moving there full time during his later retirement years. He served in the Navy during World War II aboard the USS Coolbaugh as a radar operator.

Gordon was a graduate of Akron South High School and Kent State University, earning a B.S. in 1949 and M.S. in 1954. His 24-year coaching ca reer included positions at the University of Akron, Ohio State University, Marion Harding High School, Akron South High School, and Twinsburg High School. His career coaching mark was 126 wins, 59 losses, and 13 ties. Although extremely proud of his two years as an assistant to Woody Hayes at Ohio State, Coach Larson was most proud of his tenure at the University of Akron, where his teams in the late '60s and early '70s achieved consistent Divi sion II national rankings and an invitation in 1968 to the University's first bowl game, the Grantland Rice Bowl. During his coaching career, he earned the American Football Coaches Association College Division Co-Coach of the Year and the Ohio High School Coach of the Year. Coach Larson retired from coaching in 1974 to devote full time to his athletic director duties until his retirement in Janu ary 1985. Gordon earned induction into the Ohio High School Coaches Hall of Fame, the Summit County Sports Hall of Fame, and the University of Akron Varsity "A" Hall of Fame.

The youngest of 10 children, Gordon is survived by wife, JoAnne; children and spouses, Diane E. Larson (Plano, Texas), Kenneth G. and Kathleen Lar son (Estes Park, Colo.), Robert N. and LaDeanne Larson (Katy, Texas), Gerald K. Larson (Akron, Ohio); granddaughter, Shea; grandsons, Jacob and Joshua; sisters, Agda Adams, Ruth Lar son, and Dorothy Binford; brothers, Robert (Sue) Larson and Ralph (Regina) Larson; stepdaughters, Pamela (Roger) Burton, Patricia (Robert) Helbl ing, and Paula Gay (all of Akron, Ohio); and grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife of 44 years, Eva Jane Larson; sisters, Edith Davis, Eva Jo Keith; and older brothers, Larry and Carl Larson.

Services will be held at 6 p.m. Monday at the Billow FAIRLAWN Chapel, 85 N. Miller Rd., with Michael Kura officiat ing. Friends may call at the funeral home from 4 p.m. until the time of service. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Gordon Larson Memorial Fund at the University of Akron, Department of Devel opment, Akron, Ohio 44398-2603. (Billow FAIRLAWN Chapel, 330-867-4141.)