Obituary of Evelyn May LARSEN

LARSEN, Evelyn May LARSEN, Evelyn May April 24, 1938 – April 29, 2016 Evelyn May Larsen, cherished wife of Ken Larsen, mother of Linda and Emory Larsen, and sister of Pat Hodge, was the adored first child of Emory and Lynn (Daisy) Jackson of Cheadle, born April 24, 1938, in Holy Cross Hospital, Calgary. She was visited very suddenly with a major stroke early Wednesday, April 27, at her home at Sagewood, Strathmore. The family is very grateful for the attentive care given to her at both Sagewood and the Strathmore Hospital, where she passed away peacefully the morning of Friday, April 29, surrounded by her family. She was 78 years old. Evelyn’s childhood on the farm at Cheadle was most happy, surrounded by horses, cats, dogs, and an annoying little sister. Horses were a passion she enjoyed most of her life. There will be some Cheadle people who can remember the parade of two horses, two kids and one or two dogs touring the neighbourhood in the late 1940’s, early ‘50s. She loved farm life, which is one of the reasons she abandoned her nursing career after meeting Ken, and resumed her passion for that life at the Larsen farm at Standard. She attended school in Strathmore for grades one through ten, and then at her father’s urging and support went to Mount Royal College for grade eleven and twelve, repeating his experience attending this institution in the 1920’s. Nursing training at the Holy Cross Hospital followed, and she graduated with her R.N. in 1959. Nursing positions were held at the new Foothills Hospital, as nurse and Supervisor of ER, when it opened in 1966, and as office nurse with Drs. Calvert and Wilson. She was a single mom before that status was as supported as it is now, and she juggled work and home very effectively for herself and her treasured son, Emory. She even worked on university courses toward her B.Sc. in nursing during that time. Friends introduced her to Ken Larsen, and that love lured her back to the farm and a most fulfilling life as “farm wife” at Standard. The birth of her precious daughter, Linda, completed the circle of her family. The creation of a kindergarten class in Standard with her friend Corinne Drydale was only the beginning of contributions made by her to that community. Evelyn pursued every stage of her life fully and wholeheartedly, all the while tending to her own family, her niece and nephew, parents, friends, everyone in her acquaintance. After the children became more independent, Evelyn’s active and intelligent mind looked outward for an outlet, and it came in the form of work in the Village of Standard administration office for nearly 24 years. She retired from the position of CAO in 2004. The reach of her influence was extensive, including banking land for residential development, new water treatment plant, and industrial park. Unfortunately, after her retirement, health issues and diminishing eyesight gradually invaded her life, but she always made the best of every situation, and continued to be a part of her family’s, extended family’s, and friends’ lives in her constantly thoughtful and loving way. Although she had no grandchildren, the children of her niece and nephew were recipients of her generosity and thoughtfulness, just as Jenny and Rob had been. And who can forget the devotion to and of all of her “granddogs” along the way. There are innumerable things that her family will all miss about her, but we will remember her forever with the same love and regard that she always had for us. Evelyn is survived by her son, Emory Larsen, daughter Linda (Mark) Giesbrecht, sister Pat (Bob) Hodge, nephew Rob (Gundi) Hodge, and niece Jenny (Ken) Plaquin. She was predeceased by her husband Ken Larsen and her parents Emory and Lynn Jackson. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, May 4, 2016, at Hope Community Covenant Church at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please donate in Evelyn’s memory to CNIB online at www.cnib.ca, by phone at 1-800-563-2642 or by cheque to The Canadian National Institute for the Blind (15 Colonel Baker Place, Calgary, AB T2E 4Z3). To send condolences, please click the link below or email directly to condolences@wheatlandfuneralhome.ca. Send Condolences