Howard C. Larsen

Howard C. Larsen of Baraboo Howard C. Larsen, age 83, passed away peacefully on December 27, 2015. Howard was born to Howard and Laura (Wolkow) Larsen on March 29, 1932 in Shell Lake, Washburn County, Wisconsin. Howard came to the Baraboo area at an early age when his family moved to a farm on Happy Hill south of North Freedom. After an adventurous childhood he left home at age 13 to work for many of the prominent farmers in the Sauk Prairie area. During the Korean Conflict, he joined the Air Force and began his many travels. Whether on K.P. in Texas, on the flight line at Elsworth Air Base in South Dakota or the Ramey Air Base in Puerto Rico, he had many adventures which he loved to chuckle about as he retold stories from that time. It was at Elsworth Air Base in Rapid City, SD that he met his first love, Lynden Alden Larsen. After a few weeks of dating he received orders for transfer, so they married and immediately relocated to Puerto Rico. To them it was paradise. This marriage lasted 51 years until Lynden's death in 2003. It was there also that they started a tradition begun in the Air Force and then carried on in his first years as a farmer of moving and having another child. Carla in Puerto Rico, Eugene (Mona) at Fort Leonard Wood, MO, Kathy (David Ott) in Hillpoint, WI, Janet in Palmyra, WI, and Howard Jr. (Dawn) in Waukesha, WI. His moving from farm to farm finally paused for 9.5 years in Waukesha where they raised their family. His final move was to buy his own farm north of Baraboo in 1969. There he spent the next 46 years establishing himself as a farmer and also as a trader. He absolutely loved to buy and sell tractors and machinery. He traveled the Midwest purchasing mostly tractors and selling them throughout Wisconsin for over 30 years, making many, many friends. In late 2005 and 2006, two life changing events happened. First he met his second true love and soul mate, Donna Scherbert, and secondly he had a tractor rollover accident which severely crippled him. Howard was told several times that he would never walk again, but with tenacity and plenty of hard work at Physical Therapy he proved them all wrong. A stroke in 2008 and again in 2009 were just bumps in the road to recovering enough so as to enjoy life again. Howard and Donna married in 2008 and she was embraced by his family just as he was embraced by hers. Thankfully, he and Donna were able to enjoy 10 good years together, but shared a life time of happiness. August 2014 brought the start of a long sequence of many medical problems involving multiple surgeries and nursing home stays. He finally came to a peaceful end on December 27, 2015, leaving a large group of family and friends behind. Surviving family members include all 5 children, grandchildren, Matt (Lindy), Emily, Anastaisia, and Ben Larsen along with great-grandchildren Jorja, Aaron and Oliver Larsen, Donna's 5 children and their families whom he considered his own. Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, January 2, 2016, at the Redlin Funeral Home at 11 a.m. with Pastor Lisa Taylor officiating. Visitation will be held on Friday January 1, 2016, from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. and from 10 a.m. until the time of service on Saturday. Burial will follow at Fairfield Cemetery. The Family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to Donna's granddaughters, Courtney and Allyssa for their help and support to give Donna an occasional break and also to grandson Matt Larsen and his wife Lindy for being there when needed. The P.T. staff at Maplewood and St. Clare Meadows deserve a big thank you for outstanding effort and encouragement. Also the staff at Agrace was wonderful. Words cannot express the family's appreciation and love for Donna for giving Howard the happiness and care that he needed so he could enjoy the final chapter of his life. Memorials received will be forwarded to the Badger Steam and Gas Club.