John Morton Larsen - Echo

John Morton Larsen, 86, of Echo, passed away on Sunday, July 5, 2015 at the Avera-Marshall Medical Center in Marshall after a short battle with cancer. Funeral Services will be 11:00 am on Friday, July 10, 2015 at the Echo Alliance Church in Echo. Visitation will be from 5 – 7:30 pm on Thursday at the Sunset Funeral Home in Echo with a prayer service at 7:30 pm. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday. Burial will be in the Echo Cemetery with a luncheon to follow at the Echo Community Center. Online condolences may be placed at www.sunsetfuneralassociation.com. The Sunset Funeral & Cremation Association is caring for the family. John Morton Larsen was born January 14, 1929 to Thorbjorn and Margaret (Morton) Larsen at home in St. Cloud, Minnesota, Stearns County. He lived in St. Cloud until the age of 10 when he moved to Monticello with his family for a few years before returning to St. Cloud where he graduated from St. Cloud High School in 1946. In November of 1946, John joined the United States Navy and served his country until he was honorably discharged in December of 1949. He moved to Echo in 1950 where he remained his entire life. John was united in marriage to Lorraine Nolte on April 15, 1950 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and returned to Echo where John ran the Echo Granite Works as a grave memorialist for over 70 years. John was a member and trustee at American Lutheran Church in Echo and after it closed, became a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Belview. John was very active in his community, was on the Echo Fire Department for over 50 years, being Fire Chief for 10 years, Echo American Legion for over 50 years, Granite Falls VFW, Sunset Funeral Association board member for 10 years, being president for 6 of those years, was mayor of Echo for 10 years, city council member for 24 years, and was a Free Mason. John enjoyed playing cards, deer hunting and fishing, was state cribbage champion in 1992, and loved traveling to Alaska and Norway. He is survived by his seven children: Patricia (Michael) Lubeck of Belview, Debra (Ken) Fosnight of Maricopa, AZ, Diane Larsen of St. Cloud, Doreen (Ed) Evers of Wood Lake, Daniel (Tammy) Larsen of Echo, David (Jenny) Larsen of Echo, and Donald (Deanna) Larsen of Milroy; 11 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren; four siblings Margaret Hustad of Minneapolis, Paul Larsen of Moorhead, Robert (Beverly) Larsen of Hudson, WI, and Alice Larsen of Carpinteria, CA; and son-in-law Grant Norcutt of Lucan. He is preceded in death by his wife Lorraine, his parents, daughter Denise Norcutt, brother Peter Larsen, and sister Mary Cole. Blessed be his memory.