Loren Larson

ALDEN | Loren Larson, age 78, of Alden died Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2014, at the Rehabilitation Center of Hampton.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 15, 2014, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Alden with burial in the Alden Cemetery.

Visitation will be 2-4 p.m. Sunday at the Surls funeral Home in Iowa Falls.

Loren Mark Larson was born Oct. 3, 1935, in McCallsburg to Almen O. and Anna Mae (Stole) Larson. He graduated from Alden High School in 1953. He received a science/botany and secondary education degree at St. Olaf in Northfield, Minnesota. While at St. Olaf he was a member of the Air Force ROTC program as a cadet, later being commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force. On Dec. 16, 1956, Loren was united in marriage to Betty Ites at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Alden. His Air Force career and their travel adventures spanned 20 years until his retirement in Omaha, Nebraska, at Offutt Air Base as Lt. Col. Larson. Loren was a decorated veteran of the Vietnam War. He flew as navigator in and over six continents. After serving his country, he opened Larson's Insurance in Alden/ Iowa Falls, which he ran for over 20 years.

Loren's passions included his faith, family, country, his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, waterskiing, his life at Iowaknoll, and his belief systems. As a lifelong Iowa State Cyclone fan he attended endless basketball and football games over 40 years. He looked at life's glass as always being half full and had a captivating smile that always welcomed strangers with open arms. Loren was a man of honor and integrity and lived his life through his actions as much as his words. He knew the difference between doing what is right and doing the right thing. He was a defender of freedom and believed in his country. He was a selfless man who believed in helping others less fortunate rather than benefiting from their losses.

Loren is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife Betty; his four daughters; Vicki (Steve) Sukup and their children Nickolas, Crystal (Matt) Koch and Emily (Andy) Schmitt of Clear Lake, Lori (Tom) Hemphill and their children Clay and Jared of Omaha, Juli Stock and her children Luke Erickson and Lauren (Josh) Heuberger of Sheffield and Jami Aldrich and her son Jackson of Altoona; his great-grandchildren Lily, Zander and Grace Koch and Wynn Schmitt and his brother Donald (Karen) Larson of Santa Ana, California, brother-in-law Edward (Lois) Ites and sister-in-law Phyllis Ites all of Iowa Falls and sister-in-law Janice Larson of Kansas City and too many cousins and friends to print.

He was preceded in death by his brother "A" Larson, his parents Almen O. and Anna Mae Larson, his sister in infancy, brother-in-law Richard Ites and Candi and Suzie Q Larson, his beloved poodles.