Clyde Harold Larsen Obituary (1922 - 2011)

Clyde Harold Larsen (88) born 3 November, 1922; died peacefully at his home in Murray on Saturday 19 February, 2011 due to complications of age.Clyde was the first of five children of Harold Christian Larsen and Ellen Goldia Petersen. He was raised in the Sugarhouse area of Salt Lake City. He graduated from South High school. Clyde served a mission to the Eastern States Mission before World War II. As a lieutenant in the US Army, he went to Europe right at the end of World War II. Not long following Clyde's return from the service his father passed away in a tragic automobile accident, Clyde assumed the responsibility for the family electrical business and completed all the jobs which his father had commitments for at the time of his death. He also took over his father's responsibilities as Sexton at Elysian Burial Gardens, and has served on the Board of Directors there until his death. Clyde married Katherine Louise Lee on the 11th of September 1947 in the Salt Lake Temple. They were blessed with nine beautiful and talented children He worked as a foreman on the construction of many LDS Church buildings, in Mississippi, Florida, Alabama and Utah. On those occasions where he could take his family, he did. He also built visitors facilities at the Hill Cumorah and Peter Whitmer Farm in upstate New York. He was a foreman during the building of the Deseret Gym in Salt Lake City. In 1980 he started his own construction company, "Clyde H. Larsen & Sons Construction". His craftsmanship was so remarkable, that he was also entrusted to remodel several Temples including, Salt Lake, Provo, Washington DC, Ogden, Logan, Atlanta, Manti and the Salt Lake Tabernacle. He built or remodeled every home that his family and all of his children's families have lived in. These houses stand today as a memorial of craftsmanship and love for his family. He served faithfully as a husband, father, home teacher, Young Men's President, High Councilman, Bishopric, and Patriarch. Clyde served a second mission with his wife to the East Houston Texas Mission. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Leland, Keith and Boyd; one son, Wayne and four grandchildren Rachel Larsen and Robbie, Sarah and Brad Birkinshaw. He is survived by his wife Louise, his sister Virginia Moss, and his children: LesLee (Lee) Neal, Joan (Randy) Lunt, Lonnie (Robert) Birkinshaw, Harold (DeAnn) Larsen, Shirl (Elizabeth) Larsen, Leisha (Don) Staley, Wayne (Jana) Larsen, Sterling (Carol) Larsen, O'Lynn (Bob) Elliot. He has 57 grandchildren, 42 great- grandchildren, and five grandchildren now serving full time missions. A viewing will be held Wednesday evening 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Jenkins- Soffe Funeral Home at 1007 W. So Jordan Parkway (106th So). Funeral services will be Thursday, Feb. 24, at 11:00 a.m. in the Murray Parkway Stake Center, at 619 W. 5750 So. (off 700 W.) It will be preceded by a viewing from 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.