R. Mary Larson

R. Mary L. Larson (Quernemoen), age 87,  of New Brighton and previously of Battle Lake passed away on Wednesday, January 29, 2020.

Mary Louise was born on February 13th, 1932 just outside Fergus Falls, Minnesota. She was the oldest daughter in a strict baptist family of four; born to an immigrant mother from Sweden and a father whose grandparents came from Norway. She worked very hard as a child, waking before dawn in a home that for years had no running water, and doing chores both before and after school including milking the family cow and goat, and caring for the chickens.

After attending Fergus Falls High School, Mary graduated from the University of Minnesota with a RN degree. It was there she met Ross, who was a dental student. They married and had five children. Mary worked as a nurse in the hospital, and worked night shifts caring for premature babies. She later landed a job with the Mounds View School District working as a school nurse.

She did all this while raising five children and taking care of her husband’s dental practice office bookkeeping. Mary was a wonderful and loving mother and wife. She loved to paint and associated with the arts, for example,  her participation in the “Art of the Lakes” program in Battle Lake. Mary was a thoughtful and generous person who would be host and organizer of many extended family gatherings and reunions, church functions and any community get togethers.

She is preceded in death by husband, Dr. Ross Gerald Larson; parents, Bennie and Ruth Quernemoen; and brother, James Quernemoen. Mary is survived by her daughters, Judy (John) Donovan and Kristine (Dan) Mrosak; sons, Mark, Steve (Cindy), Brian; sister, Betty (Roger) Wilson; brother, Michael (Pat) Quernemoen; nine grandchildren; and five great grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life will be on Sunday, February 23 at the Thurston-DeShaw Funeral Home - Andover Chapel, 13817 Jay Street NW - Andover, Minnesota; at 2:00 pm with a visitation beginning at 1:00pm.

In lieu of flowers memorials preferred to be donated to the Minnesota Environmental Fund. Donations can be made at the link found at the bottom of this page.