Grace Elvina Larsen, age 94, of Audubon, Iowa, passed away on Monday, March 10, 2025, at the Audubon County Memorial Hospital.
She was born on March 12, 1930, to Ole and Hellena (Lauritsen) Madsen at their home in Cameron Township, Audubon County. She was baptized and confirmed at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon.
Grace attended four different rural schools in Audubon County until eighth grade. She graduated from Audubon High School with the Class of 1948. Growing up, she assisted her father on the farm by driving the tractor during haymaking and cutting oats. She also picked corn by hand until her father purchased a corn picker. After graduating, she did housework for several farm ladies.
On February 14, 1949, she married Lester Larsen at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, IA. They were married for 69 years until Lester passed away. She and Lester were the parents of two sons, Steven and Paul. She worked for Ricky Almirall at Audubon Electric Shop for a couple of years before starting a family. She then became a homemaker. She was active in the Women of the Church and held two offices. She also participated in the Audubon Garden Club.
Lester and Grace owned a cabin at Twin Lakes near Rockwell City, IA, for 45 years. They cherished raising their two sons there as they grew up. Additionally, they loved to travel and made many trips to visit family members. They enjoyed the hobby of seeking out old watermills and taking numerous photographs.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Lester; a son, Paul; sister Hazel and husband Henry Fleming; brothers Leroy, Clifford and wife Alsace, Floyd and wife Valetta, Dallas and wife Annabell; daughter in law, Mona Larsen; father in law and mother in law, Hans and Jesse Larsen, brother and sister in law Elmer and Eva Larsen. Also nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, many cousins and friends.
She is survived by son Steve and his wife Barb, Paul’s wife Marcie, granddaughters Nicki and husband Josh Klever, Cheryl Larsen-Zinke and friend Matt Warnaca, grandson Tommy Boykin. As wells as, great grandchildren Cameron Klever, Conner Klever, Tyler Zinke, Addisyn Zinke and Lillian Boykin.
A funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at the Schmidt Family Funeral Home in Audubon, IA, with Pastor Chris Townsend officiating. Committal will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery after the service.
Visitation with the family will take place one hour before the funeral at the funeral home on Thursday.
Memorials may be directed to Our Saviours Lutheran Church in Audubon in memory of Grace or mailed to the Schmidt Family Funeral Home, P.O. Box 201, Audubon, IA 50025.
The Schmidt Family Funeral Home of Audubon is handling the arrangements.
