Marjorie L. (LaBounty) Larson

Marjorie Louise (LaBounty) Larson passed away Monday, June 16, 2008, at the Kanawha Community Home.

Memorial services for Marjorie Larson will be held on Saturday June 28, 2008 at 10:00 AM at the United Methodist Church in Kanawha. Inurnment will take place at Evergreen Cemetery in Britt. 

In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Kanawha United Methodist Church and/or Hospice of North Iowa.

Born December 20, 1921, in Rossville, IL to Jerome and Emma (Faust) LaBounty, Marge moved with her family to a farm near Kanawha when she was a little girl. She attended Erin #8 country school through 8th grade and graduated from Britt High School in 1939. She also attended junior college.

On September 15, 1941, she married her high school sweetheart, Merle Larson, in Las Vegas, NV. They settled in Riverside, CA, and started their family. The beginning of WW II changed their plans. Merle joined the Army Air Corps and Marjorie followed him as much as possible throughout his military service. In 1958 they moved their family back to Kanawha where Merle farmed and Marjorie worked as a secretary.

Throughout her life, Marjorie was an avid reader and especially enjoyed reading newspapers and news magazines. She was a driving force behind her children’s education. She liked discussing politics and was an active member of the Democratic Party. One of her passions was the renovation of a country schoolhouse, which was moved to a park in Kanawha. It is now a museum visited by elementary students from throughout the county. Former Governor Terry Branstad dedicated the museum, and Marjorie received an award for her efforts.

Marjorie was a lifetime member of the Kanawha United Methodist Church. Her faith was the keystone of her life and she was active in the church until failing health limited her activity.

Marjorie was a dedicated wife, mother and grandmother. She organized many reunions for her immediate and extended family. One of her greatest joys was spending time at the family cabin on the Gunflint Trail in northern Minnesota. She felt especially close to God in “The Northwoods” where she was awed by the movement of the Quaking Aspen trees, the call of the loons, and the sight of the moonlit lake.

People who knew Marge spoke of her smile and her graciousness. She could strike up a conversation with anyone and loved the art of letter writing, keeping in touch with friends located throughout the country.    She was a prolific writer and was always taking notes, often utilizing her knowledge of shorthand.

Through all of her travels, she found nowhere she loved so much as the farmland of Iowa.

She was preceded in death by her husband Merle, her parents, brother Harve LaBounty, and two infant brothers, Forrest and Lyle. Left to cherish her memory are son David (Kathy) of Ames, son Michael (Judy) of Kanawha, daughter Terryl Hyzer (Mike) of West Des Moines, granddaughter Jessica Boritz (Eli) of Silver Spring MD, granddaughter Laura Schafbuch (Bob) of Iowa City, grandson Hunter Larson (Amy) of Arlington Heights, IL, grandson Zachary Larson-Rabin (Leah) of Madison WI, grandson Ross Hyzer of Brooklyn, NY, great-grand children Madelyn and Rachel Schafbuch and Sagan Larson-Rabin.

Those wishing to express their sympathy may consider the Kanawha United Methodist Church or Hospice of North Iowa.