Duane Larsen

Duane Larsen, 87, of Grinnell, died on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at the Mayflower Community Health Care Center in Grinnell.
A private family graveside service will be held on Friday, July 25, 2025, at Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell.
Memorials may be designated to the American Angus Association and mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home and Crematory, PO Box 368, Grinnell, IA 50112. Condolences may be shared with Duane's family online at www.smithfh.com.
Duane was born on April 11, 1938, in Grinnell, Iowa, to Ernest Louis Larsen and Lois Genevieve (Ford) Larsen. He was raised on the family farm, soon to be a registered Heritage Farm, near Grinnell and graduated from Grinnell High School with the Class of 1956.
On December 30, 1964, Duane was united in marriage to Kathryn Wilson at Mt. Pleasant Primitive Baptist Church outside of Grinnell, Iowa. The couple eventually settled on the Larsen family farm Southeast of Grinnell for nearly 50 years, and were blessed with two daughters, Laura and Dawnell.
Duane started driving a cattle truck for the Halstead family and later served as a dragline operator with the Iowa Department of Transportation for 32 years. He was known as a man who always stayed busy. He worked hard on the farm and carved anything out of wood. He built model trucks, carved duck decoys, animal figures and more for his grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends.
He will be remembered for his quiet humility, his kind and generous nature, and his deep commitment to others. Duane found joy in family road trips, especially to Yellowstone, Jackson Hole, and attended the National Western Stock Show in Denver nearly every year for over 6 decades. He enjoyed sharing laughter with those around him, and above all, he dearly loved his family, and their well-being always came first.
Duane is survived by his wife of 60 years, Kathryn Larsen of Grinnell; two daughters, Laura Peters and Dawnell Larsen, both of Grinnell; two grandsons, Andy Peters (Kara) of Cheyenne Wells, CO and Mike Peters of Grinnell; two great-grandchildren, Trey and Riley; a sister, Linda Schneider of Johnston, IA; his brother-in-law, Rodney Criswell of Malcom, IA; and many cousins, nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ernest and Lois Larsen; his sister, Susie Criswell; his brother, Darrell Larsen, who died in infancy; and a brother-in-law, Jerry Schneider.