Roger Larson passed away peacefully at the age of 85 after a multi-year struggle with neuropathy and other ailments with his wife, son and daughters by his side. Born in Mott, ND, he moved to Grand Forks, ND for college at UND where he met his lovely wife, Mary Hartl.
Even though she wasn’t a full fledged red-head, he loved her with all his might to the end of his days. She was his angel. Upon graduation, they moved first to Hope, ND, where he taught Math and Science, and then to Grand Forks. Roger was a renowned math teacher at Central High School in Grand Forks. In total, he taught for 43 years, and he was inducted into the Grand Forks Public Schools teachers hall of fame in 2012. Well known for his love of math, flying, sudoku, gardening and Vodka (yes, that is capitalized on purpose!). He shared his wit and sense of humor with all those around him, constantly brightening the days of those in his midst.
Roger was a social organizer throughout his life. One of his most successful recurring social events was Bonzer’s happy hour with the teachers on Friday night. He loved his dollar schooners and cheese popcorn, and his daughters often said, “It’s your turn to go to Bonzer’s with dad!” He was super proud when administration would join them.
After retiring, he moved “south” to Holmen, Wisconsin, where he got to live next door to a son and his family and down the street from a daughter and her family. He often said that the best years of his life were helping to raise his grandchildren. His grandchildren were papas’ sidekicks, and he would proudly state “the best years of my life”. Neighborhood children stopped by to hang out with Roger while he enjoyed the Wisconsin afternoons in his lawn chair in his garage.
He commonly said, “The people are nice here, but the people are nice wherever I go”. You couldn’t take a walk with him in Grand Forks without a former student coming up to say how awesome a teacher he was, and you couldn’t take a walk with him in Holmen without a neighbor coming up to say they knew him and that he was great.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Svend and Dorthea Larson, two of his brothers Jim and Myron and his sister-in-law, Ramona. He leaves behind his wife, Mary, his children Jon Christensen (Teresa), Randi (Keith), Rhonda (Anand), Rodney (Tracy), his grandchildren Drew, David, Cameron, Cole and Breanna, his great granddaughter Emmett, and his brother Vernon (Ramona), sisters-in-law Shirley (Myron) and Sharon (Jim), and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation for Roger is at 10 am, Thursday, August 22, 2024, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Onalaska, WI with the Funeral Mass to follow at 11 am.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks donations be made to the Grand Forks Foundation for Education and Alumni Network.