John Larson

John Louis Larson (Jack) July 14, 1923 - July 14, 2010 A resident of Mill Valley for 55 years passed away at the age of 87 surrounded by family. Jack was the loving husband of Patricia A. Baysinger Larson for 56 years. He is survived by his wife, children Greg (Petrice), Paul (Lisa), Teresa (Larry), and Peter (Bob) and grandchildren, William Freeman, Ross, Sean, Hailey, and Monika Larson, Kate O'Brien, and Jackie Warner. Born in San Francisco at the French Hospital on Bastille Day, Jack attended St. Dominic School and Lowell High School. He studied at Santa Clara University before joining the Army Air Corps in WWII and serving as a B-29 navigator in the Pacific. He survived an emergency landing on Iwo Jima during the battle, just hours after the Americans had taken control of the air strip. He was also a veteran of the Korean War serving in the Air Force as a navigator in a B-26. Although he never received a Purple Heart, he often joked he should have for the second-degree burn that he suffered when his electric underwear short-circuited while on a mission. One of his first jobs was at the San Francisco News working as a copy boy. Here he began his lifelong hobby of bookmaking and "office pools". He loved organizing betting pools on the major sporting events and continued doing so until last year. After Korea Jack attended San Francisco State University where he met Pat, the love of his life, and received his teaching credential. He was a dedicated educator for 26 years in the Mill Valley School District as an elementary teacher and Assistant Principal, serving from 1954-1980. He loved his students and never forgot a single one. Always the teacher, during the summer he worked as a tour guide driving the Elephant Train on Angel Island, where he gave a witty and entertaining tour. After retiring from teaching, Jack worked full-time for Red & White Fleet that had acquired the Angel Island tour franchise. He became a member of the Inland Boatman's Union and worked on the ferries. He loved being out on the bay. In 1987, he settled into the role of Grandpa Jack, strolling his grandkids around town. An active parishioner at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Jack greeted everyone on Sunday morning. At age 73, when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, Jack volunteered to help cancer research. He joined a study led by Dr. Dean Ornish and changed his life by embracing a vegan diet and a healthy and active lifestyle. He remained an active participant in the program these past 14 years. He never succumbed to the cancer, but died with it. Jack loved life. He enjoyed spending time with family and friends, and he especially enjoyed hiking the trails of Mt. Tam, traveling the country in his camper and camping in the desert and the Sierras. He was a diehard Cal Football fan for years, through many winless seasons and enjoyed traveling with the team to Bowl games whenever the opportunity arose. Jack will always be remembered for his keen wit and sense of humor as well as his generous and caring nature. He will be missed by all who had the privilege of knowing him. Family and friends are invited to the rosary on Tues., July 20th at 7:00 pm and the Funeral Mass on Wed., July 21st at 11:00 am at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel 3 Oakdale Ave., Mill Valley. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Jack's name to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, Angel Island Association, or St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Arrangements under the direction of ADOBE CREEK FUNERAL HOME, 331 Lakeville St., Petaluma, CA 94952. CHEDA & LYONS - Director 415-883-8070