Duane Larson

Duane Larson, 88, of Jefferson, died Tuesday, January 31, 2017.

Funeral services were held Saturday, February 4 at First Presbyterian Church in Jefferson. Rev. Gordon Moen of First Presbyterian Church and Pastor Larry Monthei of Hope United Methodist Parish, Cooper officiated. Honorary bearers were Jami Szwejk, Leslie Welter, Levi Larson, Lakota Larson, Haily Larson and Autumn Larson. Casket bearers were Christopher Dela Pole, Grant Custer, Mitchell Larson, Reed Larson, Jeff Szwejk and Nick Welter. The music was “How Great Thou Art” and “Home On The Range” with soloist, Kenny Monthei accompanied by pianist, Cheryl Nailor. Interment was at Franklin Township Cemetery, Greene County, Iowa.

Duane Harold Larson was born October 31, 1928 on a farm on the Hamilton and Boone County Line, near  Stratford, Iowa. He was the oldest son of Elsie (Patterson) and Lawrence Larson. Duane’s schooling began at country school, then starting with the third grade, he attended school in Boxholm. The family moved to Greene County in 1942. Duane graduated from Cooper High School in 1946.

On January 29, 1950, Duane was united in marriage to Betty Jeanne Schilling at the Methodist Church in Jefferson. They made their home on a family farm in Franklin Township, Greene County, where they raised their four children, and were engaged in production agriculture which included corn, soybeans, hay, hogs and cattle feeding. From 1967 to 1971, Betty and Duane participated in an American/Japanese agricultural program which linked them to four young Japanese men, all students of Agriculture, who lived with the Larson family for nearly one year each. In later years, Betty and Duane visited all four men and their families in their respective homes in Japan. To this day, the Larsons remain in contact with Shigenobu Miyauchi of Kochi-Ken, Japan.   

Duane refereed high school and semi-pro basketball throughout the state of Iowa for eleven years. He was an assistant Greene County 4-H leader for four years and worked on the Greene County Fair Board for many years.

As a member of the Greene County Farm Bureau, Duane served on the young member committee, and on the Greene County Farm Bureau Board of Directors, where he was an officer in all capacities of the board, and was the county FB voting delegate for a three-year term. For 23 years, Duane served on the Cal-Car Farm Service Board and was president of that board for five years.  From 1974 – 1976, Duane served on the state Agriculture Stabilization Conservation Service committee, and was chairman for one year.

Duane was a member of the Methodist Church Administrative Board for three years. For nineteen years he worked for the Greene County Assessor’s Examining Board and was elected to serve as 3rd District County Supervisor from 2001 to 2006.

Duane was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Eldon and Marvin “Mike.” He is survived by his wife, Betty; four children: Lin Pole (John) of Saint Paul Park, Minn., Laine Custer (Tom), Lindsey Larson (Debra) and Loel Larson (Sandy) all of Jefferson; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home.