Reid Larsen

Biography

Reid Strong Larsen passed away peacefully on April 1, 2014 in Bountiful at the age of 88 with his family by his side.
Reid was born July 21, 1925 in Castle Dale, Emery County, Utah. He was the last of four children as his father had passed away five months before his birth. His father was Horace H. Larsen. His mother was Martha Eloise Strong Larsen (first lady missionary in the Northwestern States Mission). She was from Alpine, Utah.
The family moved to Salt Lake City (Capitol Hill area) where Reid attended West High School and several advanced night courses.
He served in the military for two years in the South Pacific islands. He was on the ship next to the battleship Missouri when the emperor of Japan came out to meet with General MacArthur to surrender Japan. Reid gave his first Book of Mormon to a fellow soldier, which was the first of over one hundred thousand given over a lifetime. After being honorably discharged, he served an LDS mission in the Southern States. Interestingly, 57 years later, Reid’s daughter Marty and husband Randy served as mission president in the same area of Georgia.
He married Janice Laursen of American Fork, Utah in the Salt Lake LDS Temple on November 28, 1949. The sealing was performed by Spencer W. Kimball. Reid often said, “It was a match made in Heaven.”
Reid was an inventor and entrepreneur throughout his life. Reid formed a partnership with his two brothers and brother-in-law and opened four Del Rae Market grocery stores in Salt Lake City, as well as a trucking company that often traveled from Hill AFB, Utah to Alaska. This partnership continued for eight years. For the following three years, he developed a mining and milling operation in South Dakota with Mount Rushmore as a backdrop. A few noteworthy inventions are the first coin operated TV chairs for airports and bus terminals, as well as the first highway crash barriers that are seen today on most highways throughout the nation.
Reid had many Church callings throughout his life including: District President of the Northern Indian Reservations, Elders Quorum President, Seventies President, High Priest Group Leader, Stake Mission Leader, and High Counselor, serving always with a deep love of the Savior and the Book of Mormon.
Reid and Janice are the last living children of their siblings. He is survived by his wife, Jan; four children: Pamela Pearce, Marty Browning (Randy), Bradley (Suzanne), Kristen Keller (Ken); fourteen grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren with two more on the way.
Viewing on Sunday, April 6, 2014, 6:00 – 8:00 (pm) at Russon Brothers Mortuary, 295 North Main Street, Bountiful, Utah. Funeral services on Monday, April 7, 2014, 1:00 (pm) at Reid’s home Ward chapel at 640 South 750 East, Bountiful, Utah. A viewing will precede the funeral services from 11:45-12:45. Interment at Bountiful City Cemetery. Online guest book is at www.russonmortuary.com.

Funeral Service

Monday April 7, 2014, 1:00 pm at Woodland Hills Ward
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