Donald Stanley Larson
Feb. 11, 1941-Dec. 20, 2024
Meridian, Idaho
Submitted by Stan Larson

Don Larson of Emmett, Idaho and long-time resident of Pleasanton, California passed away peacefully in Boise on Friday, December 20, 2024, at the age of 83 following a brief stay in the hospital. Born in Oakland, California on February 11, 1941, he was the only child of Stanley Emil Larson and Geraldine Francis Hickey.

Don was raised in Oakland. He enjoyed participating in the Boy Scouts of America with his Scout Master father. As a young man, he served as an altar boy in the Catholic church and later graduated from Bishop O’Dowd High School in 1959 where he played catcher on the baseball team. He attended the University of San Francisco and California State University in Hayward. Don worked 38 years for AC Transit (1961 – 1999) in the Scheduling and Planning Department before retiring to create his own personal HO Scale railroad metropolis.

As an adult, he became an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where he served as an Aaronic Priesthood leader and Wood badge-trained Scout Master for a whole generation of young men in Pleasanton, then later as an 11-year-old Scout Leader in Emmett, Idaho.

Don served in multiple priesthood leadership callings in a life devoted to service at church and in his community. In 1968 as a young father, he joined the Jaycee’s in Pleasanton, California where he helped build the Little League baseball field complex the city still uses today.

Don also served a full-time church mission with his companion, “Sister Jan Larson” in the Columbus Ohio Mission from 2002 to 2003. They also served together as Temple Workers in the Oakland California Temple, the Columbus Ohio Temple, and as Shift Coordinators in the Boise Idaho Temple and the Meridian Idaho Temple with some of their “most favorite people of all-time.”

He loved to take care of his property, manage the irrigation lines and prune and harvest his fruit trees. When the chores were done, he relished the time spent with family and friends playing card games and finishing even the most complex puzzles. He absolutely loved being a grandpa!

He was preceded in death by his parents, and two great grand-children, John Thomas Larson, and Skyler Larson.

He is survived by his wife, Jan Larson; sons: Paul (Vicki) Larson of Star, Idaho, Stan (Debbie) Larson of Zagreb, Croatia, Peter (Peria) Larson of Joseph City, Arizona, Michael (Kris) Larson of Eagle Mountain, Utah, Ken Larson of Lake Tahoe, Nevada, Matt Larson of Emmett, Idaho; daughter: Christina (Jason) Reynolds of Meridian, Idaho; 36 Grandchildren, 69 great-grandchildren + two on the way.

Tags: sports, public service