Frances “Fran” I. Larson, 81, of Hamill, SD passed away on Saturday, Nov. 21st, 2020, at North Central Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD.
Graveside service was held at the Hamill Cemetery on Saturday, Nov. 28 at 2 p.m. with a viewing at 1:30 pm.
Memorial services will be held at a later date.
Fran was born March 11, 1939 to Thadius “Al” and Lillian (Peters) Houser at the Bode Home in Chamberlain, SD. She was the 10th of 12 children, and grew up on the Fort Hale river bottom north of Oacoma. She attended a small country grade school on the Fort Hale bottom, until the family moved to Chamberlain during her 8th grade year, where she attended high school. When the family moved to town, she and her sister Loy started their first paying job cleaning motel rooms, then later she worked as a waitress at the Rainbow Café and also as a secretary at the Brule County Extension Office.
Following high school, she attended Springfield College and received her 2-yearteaching degree. Upon her return she taught at the rural schools North Fairview and Lindgrin.
Fran married Darrell Larson, on March 11, 1960. Their first child, Mark, was born in 1961, followed by Audie in 1962, Monty in 1964, and the family was complete in 1975 with the arrival of Vicki.
Fran said that she experienced a turning point in her faith when “I finally truly gave my life to God to do with me whatever He wanted.” Her life was marked by this selfless dedication to Christ. Fran was confirmed during her 9th grade year at the Zion Lutheran church in Chamberlain. Following her marriage to Darrell, she became a member of the Zion Lutheran Church of Hamill, where she touched many lives through serving as a Sunday school and Bible school teacher and superintendent and Lady’s Aid member. But even more so, she touched the lives of every person she came into contact with. She was a mother or grandmother to anyone who needed one.
Fran and Darrell enjoyed being active in 4-H, as 4-H leaders and volunteers. She was a lifelong member of Hamill Horsemen’s Club and a member of the Southern Belle Cattlewomen.
Her passion was working with the livestock on the family ranch. She loved riding horse, working cattle, helping with calving, gardening, canning, and caring for her bottle calves, cats, dogs, ducks, and chickens. She prepared almost every meal, every day, not only for “the crew”, but also for any wandering stranger that happened upon the place. No one ever walked out the door hungry, there was always room at the family table.
Fran is survived by husband Darrell, children Audie (Holly) Larson of Hamill, Monty Larson of Hamill, Vicki (Joel) Stuart of Hamill, grandchildren Tanya (Daniel) Shoemaker of Gregory, Kaylea Littau of Gregory, Trevor, Trace, and Jesse Larson of Hamill, great grandchildren Paiden, Oakley, Kord, and Lane, sisters Grace Wick of Mitchell, Beulah Smith of Sioux Falls, brother Thad (Dorthy) Houser of Sioux Falls, sister in-law Fern Zastrow of Sioux Falls, and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents Al and Lillian, in-laws Ted and Gertrude Larson, infant son Mark, siblings Lawrence Houser, Donald Houser, Lorne Houser, (infant) Dorthy Houser, Betty Cleland, Loy Busick, (infant) Alice Houser, Christine Houser, and numerous brothers in-law, sisters in-law, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews.
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