Henry Larson

There are so many kinds of men in this world, from company men, to powerful men, men of the cloth, and even men of the year. Henry Larson devoted his life to being a different kind of man, the kind that matters most of all: a family man. He was an amazing husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, a true patriarch in every sense of the word. Today his legacy lives on in the family that meant everything to him.

Henry's story began on a hot summer day in 1922, in the little town of Ogden, Utah. Those were such hopeful times in this country, which was back on its feet after the hardships of World War I. The heyday of the Roaring 20s was beginning, during a time when Prohibition was law of the land. On August 4, 1922, Chris and Olga (Gustafson) Larson had even more to celebrate, with the birth of a baby boy, a son they named Henry Tagem Larson.

Henry was one of four children in the family, including sisters Toni and Silvia, and brother Hugh. The Larsons were a close-knit clan of proud, Swedish descent, even learning to speak some of their native language. The kids were also close-knit, got along very well, and remained very close their whole lives.

When Henry was an infant, the family packed up and left Utah for the Motor City of Detroit, Michigan, where he spent much of his childhood. Henry was a good kid but a typically mischievous boy, and he loved to watch Detroit Tigers games either by sneaking into the Stadium or by peering through the fence! He fell in love with the Tigers, and became a lifelong fan, always listening on the radio.

When he was a little older, the family packed up and moved again, this time to Grand Rapids, where they would remain. Times were so tough by then, during the Great Depression, so Henry left school to find work to help his family. Even as a boy, family was always most important to him.

Henry had many jobs, but found his job as a paper boy to be the most rewarding. He often saw a pretty young girl sitting on the porch along his route, a lovely girl named Helen Robb. He finally got the nerve to ask her out, and the two really hit it off. They began dating, and eventually were married on April 19, 1942.

It wasn't long before the new bride and groom became mother and father, as well, and once they began having kids, they didn't stop! Henry and Helen had seven wonderful children over the next 11 years, Eric, Cathy, Wayne, Cindy, Ellen, Nancy, and Kurt.

Henry was an incredible family man, and felt so fulfilled by becoming a father. Whereas Helen was more of the disciplinarian, Henry was always so even-tempered and in tune with his children, and always enjoyed taking the time to sit down and talk with them.

They did much as a family together, as well, and every summer they went on camping trips around Michigan, many at Wilderness State Park, a large, beautiful peninsula of pines and sandy soil on the shores of Lake Michigan, close to the bridge. Henry loved having his family around him and sharing his love of nature with the kids, taking them on hikes and peaceful walks through the woods.

Henry worked very hard to provide for his large family, and after learning the machinist trade, he found a great job with the good people at Gull, Meyer and Livingston, where he helped build lathes and precision grinders. He was incredibly gifted with his hands, and excelled at his job. He also loved the many close friends he made there, and avoided becoming supervisor for fear of losing touch with them. As much as he loved his job, though, Henry loved returning home even more. He especially enjoyed it when his children would meet him on the way home, and he'd have a Chicklet in his pocket as a treat for them. Henry also had a little trash route to earn extra cash, and every week he'd take a different one of his kids with him, riding shotgun in his old 1954 Ford pickup. When he returned home on Saturday nights, he'd regale the kids and their friend with stories that usually became more fictitious as the night progressed.

Henry's mechanical talents also came in very handy around the house, and he never had to call a repairman for anything. He could fix everything, a true jack-of-all-trades, and always did things right, too.

While Helen was a very social woman who enjoyed her activities outside the house, Henry was very much a homebody, so content to spend quiet time with his beloved family. One of his favorite hobbies was taking walks around the neighborhood with his wonderful wife, walking hand-in-hand as they rounded the block. He also enjoyed watching the Friday night fights in his easy chair, or listening to the Tigers games on the radio. For many years, Henry enjoyed going bowling on Sundays with Helen and Kurt.

After Henry finally took his well-deserved retirement, he devoted even more time to his family, especially his grandchildren and later great-grandchildren. He and Helen always readily volunteered to babysit the grandkids, and loved every minute of it. Henry could sit and play with the kids for hours on end, entertaining them by drawing pictures and making up stories to go along with it. He was often quiet in the presence of others, but around his family he was always the life of the party. He loved to spoil them every chance he got, and they returned his love in kind.

Family was everything to Henry, every day of his life. He was constantly putting them first, their needs ahead of his own, no matter the toll on him. When Helen's health sadly declined, and her mind clouded, Henry lovingly cared for his wife, and honored her wishes by not letting others interfere. It was such a difficult time for Henry, and when she died in January of 2006, the loss affected him greatly. Sadly, Henry died on Saturday, March 3, 2007, at the age of 84.

Henry was a wonderful man, who lived a wonderful life, a life full of hard work, warm memories and a loving family. Henry was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, a true patriarch to the family who meant everything to him. He was a hardworking man, and he was a good man, but most of all, Henry was always a family man. He will be so greatly missed.

Henry is survived by his children Eric and Debbie Larson, Cathy and Mitch Zainea, Wayne and Rita Brown, Cindy Semeyn, Larry and Ellen Van Dyke, Nancy Rosier, Kurt and Jane Larson; 16 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandson; his brother Hugh Larson and sister, Sylvia Cross and several nieces and nephews. A service to celebrate Henry's life will be held on Wednesday, March 7 at 11 AM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home - Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel, 2120 Lake Michigan Drive NW where relatives and friends are also invited to visit with his family on Tuesday from 7-9 PM. For those who wish, memorial contributions to the American Lung Association are appreciated. To read more about Henry's life, share a favorite photo or memory, or to sign the register, please visit www.lifestorynet.com