Dan Larkin

01/07/1948 - 03/08/2011

LARKIN, Dan
(Age 63)

Passed away Tuesday, March 8, 2011 at his home in Hay, Washington following an apparent heart attack. A Memorial Service will be Monday, March 14th at 1:30 pm at the LaCrosse Methodist Church. Urn burial and military honors will follow in the LaCrosse Cemetery. Daniel Lee Larkin was born January 7, 1948 in Caldwell, Idaho, the oldest of three boys, to Jack and Mary (Harris) Larkin. He grew up in LaCrosse, Washington, where he was active and lettered in all sports during high school and also sang in the male quartet. He graduated from high school there in 1966. Dan attended Central Washington University in Ellensburg before he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1968. He served in Vietnam as a radio operator and also became an expert marksman and sharpshooter. He was honorably discharged in 1971. Dan attended Boise State University for a time before beginning a career in the Forest Service as a firefighter. He transferred to the Bureau of Land Management and worked for many years as an electronics technician in their Salem, Oregon district. Dan married Jeannine Henley Heter April 17, 1987 whom he first met as part of an 8th grade dance class in LaCrosse. They had an opportunity to re-connect at their 20 year class reunion and were married shortly thereafter. They made their home in Salem for six years before moving back to LaCrosse/Hay in 1994. Dan was a rural mail carrier in the LaCrosse area for eight years and then worked at the Dusty Co-Op before medical issues forced his retirement about five years ago. Dan had many things that he loved to do but none were as important to him as spending time with his family and especially his grandchildren. He loved to fish with grandson Cole or his good friend Peter and he liked cutting wood with Ted. He was an avid history buff and was intrigued by and loved to read about anything World War II. Among other things, he was a John Wayne fan, he loved to collect Wizard of Oz memorabilia, and he enjoyed watching football on TV. Dan obtained his pilot's license and at one time loved to fly from Boise to LaCrosse. He was also a member of the LaCrosse Lions Club. He is survived by his wife, Jeannine, at their home in Hay; five children, Shawn Larkin and Dana Larkin both of Denver, CO, Patrick and Jennifer Crow, Boise, ID, Dionne and Joe Evans of Hay, and Staci and Matt Cenis of Forest Grove, OR; five grandchildren, Cole Evans, Henley Cenis, Caroline Crow, Madison Cenis and Victoria Crow; his mother, Mary Larkin of LaCrosse; and his two brothers, Joe of Boise and Ed of Covington, KY. He was preceded in death by his father, Jack in 1996. The family suggests memorials be gifts to the LaCrosse EMS or the Hay Baptist Church and Cemetery. On-line guest book is at " target="_blank" rel="nofollow, noindex" class="obit-text-link">www.bruningfuneralhome.com.
BRUNING FUNERAL HOME, COLFAX, is caring for the family.