Maureen C. and Frederick D. Larsen

Maureen C. & Frederick D. Larsen

Northfield - Frederick D. Larsen and wife, Maureen C. Larsen, long-time residents of Northfield, VT, have passed away in Scarborough, ME. They each died peacefully, Maureen, 87, on March 12, 2017 and Frederick, 89, on August 13, 2019. Fred and Maureen were married in the summer of 1952. High school sweethearts, the couple was married for 64 years.

Maureen Elise Campion was born in St. Johnsbury, VT November 25, 1929, daughter of Bernard and Bertha Campion. "Born to skate" she began skating at age 5 and frequented local ice ponds and the Arlington Rink. She loved the outdoors and was always the last to leave the ice. In high school, she participated in cheerleading, glee club, and "Rainbow Girls," and played trumpet and piano in band and orchestra. Maureen graduated from St. Johnsbury Academy in 1947, salutatorian of her class and matriculated at Boston Children's Hospital School of Nursing as their youngest student at age 17. Graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1950, she responded to the urgent need for nurses to work in the polio epidemic at Mary Fletcher Hospital in Burlington, VT. This began a lifelong legacy of caring for others, especially mothers and babies. Maureen later completed her B.S. in nursing with a minor in biology in 1990, graduating summa cum laude from Norwich University.

Maureen was a devoted wife, mother and caring friend to many. She was kind, gentle and generous with her spirit, and her sense of humor. As a member of St. Mary's Episcopal Church, she served on the vestry and sang joyfully in the choir. Maureen shared her lifelong passion for figure skating as an instructor for local youth through the Northfield Amateur Hockey Association (NAHA) for 23 years. Her passion for maternal-child nursing led her to work tirelessly for a cause near and dear to her heart: keeping families safe. She sat on the Central Vermont Child Protection Team, Maternal Child Health Coalition, Vermont Safe Kids Coalition, and she helped victims of domestic violence throughout Vermont. In 1991, she co-founded "Good Beginnings of Central Vermont," a non-profit volunteer organization that supports new parents in building a strong family foundation for healthy childhood growth and development. As her friends and family knew - Maureen was all about taking care of the babies.

Frederick Duane Larsen was born in St. Johnsbury, VT on March 20, 1930, son of Frederick C. Larsen, Jr. and Edna Kennedy Larsen. He attended Summer Street School where he received his first science lesson from his first-grade teacher, Nellie Manchester, who taught her students to observe the weather. He played 3 sports in high school and was captain of the baseball team in his senior year. In 1948, Fred graduated from St. Johnsbury Academy where he was taught by a host of excellent teachers, including Graham Newell, who paved the way for his acceptance to Middlebury College, from which he graduated in 1952 with a B.S. degree in geology and geography.

After teaching for a year at Derby Academy, Fred began a 43-year teaching career at Norwich University in the fall of 1957. Known to his students as "fossil Fred," he started as an Instructor in geology and ended his tenure as Dana Professor of geology. Along the way, he earned his M.A. in Geology from Boston University in 1960 and a Ph.D. in geology in 1972 from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

In the summer of 1963, he participated in a 3-man expedition to Glacier Bay National Monument to study glacial deposits. This was a life-changing experience that inspired him to specialize in glacial geology for the rest of his career. In 1964 and 1965, he attended National Science Foundation conferences for geology teachers in Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and Michigan, leading to strong interests in the American West. Following these meetings, the family camped in all the major national parks and other geologic sites. His dissertation on the geology of the Mount Tom quadrangle in Massachusetts was the start of a long list of projects for geological surveys in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont. Fred, along with 3 friends, Charles Cooley, Howard Lovering, and James Michaelson, started NAHA and was its first president. To all who encountered Fred, he was all about rocks.

Over the years, the couple enjoyed photography, family camping and hiking trips throughout the U.S., and attending hockey games at Norwich University. They relocated to Scarborough, ME in 2012 and lived on the Eastern trail near the coast and marsh. They enjoyed being close to nature, watching the birds and the tides. They traveled annually to Bar Harbor, ME and Acadia National Park to celebrate their wedding anniversary.

Fred and Maureen are survived by 3 daughters, Kathryn Burgio and Kirsten Larsen of Birmingham, AL, Gretchen Larsen of Hochstatt, France, and a son, Eric Larsen and wife Leslie of Scarborough, ME, a dear former daughter-in-law, Elizabeth Larsen of Lebanon, NH, a sister, Brenda Faust of Saco, ME, 8 grandchildren, Emily Burgio Hines, Kalyn Burgio, Jaime Burgio Rabb, Sarah Price, Daniel, Timothy, Eden and Avery Larsen and 4 great-grandchildren, Caroline Rabb, Chapman Hines, Emmy Larsen, and Cora Price.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Larsen Fund, an endowment gift by alumni, friends and colleagues to support the Science Lecture Series at Norwich University, c/o Tom Rogan, 158 Harmon Drive, Northfield, VT 05663, or to Good Beginnings of Central Vermont, 174 River Street, Montpelier, VT 05602.

Family and friends will gather for a short committal service at St. Mary's Church, Northfield, VT on Saturday, October 12 at 3pm. Please contact Gretchen Larsen at gretchenlarsen68@gmail.com for more information.