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Kurt Larsen Obituary
June 4, 1942 - Feb. 8, 2019
Santa Cruz
Kurt W. Larsen passed away Feb. 8, 2019 in his home, comforted by his family after a long illness. He is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Sue Larsen, his daughters Karen Tracey and Lisa Evans, his grandchildren Michael Chiang, Cheyenne Tracey, Kaiya Evans, and Brady Evans, and his great-grandson Killian Tracey, his sister-in-law Mary Mitchell, and step-father Edwin Rimple. He was preceded in death by his mother Ellen Rimple.
Kurt was born June 4, 1942 in Odense, Denmark and spent his childhood in Denmark and later in France. He and his mother emigrated to America in 1956 and settled in Santa Clara, Calif. He attended Santa Clara High School where he was active in the student body government and the swim and water polo teams. He also attended San Jose State University.
Kurt was a participant in Volunteers In Service To America (VISTA) and worked with the poor who were struggling in Houston. The time spent in this service inspired his support of civil rights.
Kurt and Sue married in 1968 and settled in Santa Cruz where they were able to raise their girls and start a business.
In 1966 he built a 24' trimaran named Kaija in his parents' front yard. This lead to many newer and newer adventures. Larsen Sail Repair began in their one-car garage in 1972. Kurt had developed a love of craftsmanship, fostered by his step-father. Repairing, and then eventually building sails allowed him to combine two things he loved: sailing and building things. The repair business became Larsen Sails, a sail loft at the Santa Cruz Small Craft Harbor which then grew too large and needed to move to a larger facility. Kurt and Sue began making canopies for the motorsports industry, becoming the first company in the States to build them. Kurt was always trying to improve his products, he was an innovator, and is a legend in his field.
Kurt loved being involved in the sailing community, the auto racing community and then in the Rhododendron Society. He loved having friends over so he could give a tour of his garden. Because of his passions for sailing, racing and gardening, and even through his battle with cancer and going to dialysis, he and Sue were blessed to meet so many wonderful people and create lasting beautiful friendships. He will be dearly missed.
A Celebration of Life will be held March 2, 2019 at 1:00 at Chaminade Resort in the Manresa Room, 1 Chaminade Lane, Santa Cruz, California, 95065. In lieu of flowers, the family would be honored by donations in Kurt's name to Hospice of Santa Cruz County (www.hospicesantacruz.org) or to the oncology department at PAMF (www.sutterhealth.donordrive.com).
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4 Entries
September 22, 2019
Kurt was a wonderful person. We tried out for cheerleaders at Santa Clara High in 1960. One of our friends dropped out but Kurt stayed with me and together we created a special memory. We didn't win the competition but that's not whats important in life. Create memories and be good friends.
Love & Prayers,
Joyce Collins Shannon
Holt Ruffin
February 16, 2019
Patty and I only knew Kurt in recent years through membership in the Monterey Bay chapter of the American Rhododendron Society. During these years, Kurt was fighting against heavy odds to be healthy, but he never displayed one iota of self-pity. He was always of good cheer, interested in new people and new things, and eager to participate as much as he could in the society's events. We had some clues of what an interesting life he and Sue had had together, of course, but he was not one to talk about himself or brag about his accomplishments. We were lucky enough to experience some of his qualities: his wide range of interests, his kind disposition, his easy sociability, his remarkable humility. He was a great guy and Sue and family have our deepest sympathy.
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