Joan Virginia Larson

Joan "Jo" Virginia (King) Larson, 85, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend to many, passed away June 8, 2014. Jo was born September 5, 1928 in Bismarck, ND, to Kenneth and Nan King. She had a sister, Kathleen, and brother, Robert. After graduating from St Luke's Hospital, she took a job at Wenatchee Valley Clinic as a Medical Technologist. In 1950, she met Delwyn Larson and the two were married August 4, 1951 in Hayden Lake, ID. Their daughter, Mary was born in 1953, and sons Robert in 1955, and Richard in 1957. Jo and Del raised their children in Wenatchee, with Jo continuing to work at the clinic until 1983, when she retired after over 30 years of service, while Del worked at Chelan County PUD. Jo took pride in setting an example for her children through hard work and teaching them the value of self worth, all while having a quick smile and a sense of humor. She helped lead and encourage her kids in Camp Fire Girls, Boy Scouts, 4H, DeMolay and "Jobies". Throughout their lives together, Jo and Del enjoyed spending time snowmobiling with family and friends, trips to the cabin they built with their sons in Priest Lake, ID, and traveling to Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, and to their condo at Wapato Point. Retirement brought a new home, at Heatherwood Condos, and a new group of close friends that they enjoyed socializing and entertaining together. They were married 51 years before Del's passing in 2002. Jo was always willing to help anyone she met and spent her life loving those around her. She will be greatly missed by her family, friends and the community in Wenatchee. Jo was very active in her church, Grace Lutheran, where she showed her love to the entire parish through fellowship, volunteering wherever she was needed, and through the quilting group. She was also involved in Compassionate Friends on the steering committee, and managing group communications. Jo had many groups of friends she spent her time chatting and laughing with, especially the Tuesday Lunch Bunch; a support group of clinic employees and acquaintances, who met weekly for over 30 years. In Jo's notes to her family she writes that she wants them to remember her for her smile and sense of humor "Life is but a journey for greater things to come" "Make the most of it" and "Love one another and enjoy doing for others". Jo leaves behind her children, daughter, Mary (Jim) Kraft, Ellensburg, sons, Robert "Bob" Larson, Chelan and Richard "Dick" (Becky) Larson, East Wenatchee; special niece, Nancy (Doug) McIntosh, Wenatchee; six grandchildren, Mike (Renee) Kraft, Ellensburg, Brooke (Greg) Miller, Seattle, Scott Larson, Wenatchee, Christin Larson, Bridgeport, WA, Tom Larson, Seattle, Laura (Carl) Zylak, Seattle; three great grandchildren, Mya & Maycen Kraft, Ellensburg and Zachary Zylak, Seattle; nephew, Ken (Maria) Griffin, Spokane. A celebration of life will be held at Grace Lutheran Church on Friday, June 13 at 11AM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Grace Lutheran Church Quilting Guild, 1408 Washington St., Wenatchee, WA 98801 or Compassionate Friends Wenatchee PO Box 2256, Wenatchee, WA 98807. You are invited to view her online guest book at www.HeritageMemorialChapel.com . Honored to serve the family, Heritage Memorial Chapel, East Wenatchee.

Joan Virginia Larson

September 5, 1928 - June 8, 2014