"Mel" was the youngest of seven children born to Lewis H. Larson and Flora Ellen (Hall) Larson. He told many stories about growing up in a farming area of western Wisconsin including adventures like: the tale of the "Larson lost treasure", a coffee can of Indian Head pennies he and his brothers buried in the farm pasture in the 1920's. They never found it again. Only one Indian Head penny he had hidden away never made it into the can and remains with his family; his father's magical way of communicating with horses (an early day horse whisperer?), and things he and his brother's shouldn't have done behind the barn.
My father served in the Army in the Pacific theater of WWII. The first helmet he was issued was from WWI and had a bullethole in it. He had terrible memories but also some funny ones...like he and his buddies making "hootch" in a buried helmet.
In 1946 he married Virginia Ruth Rose in Milwaukee. She was the mother of his two daughters, Dianne May (Larson) Ward, and Melodye Ellen Larson. They moved to Brevard County Florida in 1954. He and Virginia divorced in 1959. In 1971 he married Patricia Louise Andrew. They divorced briefly but remarried and were married until his death.
In Wisconsin dad worked as a milkman, for Nash Rambler, and for the Miller Brewing Company. After moving to Florida he studied and became a liscensed electrician. He first worked for Boeing at Patrick AFB and then took a job with Pan American at Cape Canaveral. He was one of those who worked the lights that lit up the pads for night liftoffs of various missles and the shuttle. He retired from Pan Am after 25+ years of service.
He left behind his wife, Patti, his two daughters, grandchildren David Christopher Ward, Juliana Marie Ward, and three great-grandchildren born after his death who were never fortunate enough to meet him.
When he sang when I was a child he reminded me of Dean Martin. Maybe that's why I had a crush on Dean Martin. His eyebrows were alive...very expressive like Sean Connery's...and stayed dark even though his hair turned white. In doing my genealogical research I discovered it came from his grandfather Hall's family...it shows up in many ancestral photos.
He was a very kind and loving man, always ready to help anyone he could. I miss you, daddy.
My father served in the Army in the Pacific theater of WWII. The first helmet he was issued was from WWI and had a bullethole in it. He had terrible memories but also some funny ones...like he and his buddies making "hootch" in a buried helmet.
In 1946 he married Virginia Ruth Rose in Milwaukee. She was the mother of his two daughters, Dianne May (Larson) Ward, and Melodye Ellen Larson. They moved to Brevard County Florida in 1954. He and Virginia divorced in 1959. In 1971 he married Patricia Louise Andrew. They divorced briefly but remarried and were married until his death.
In Wisconsin dad worked as a milkman, for Nash Rambler, and for the Miller Brewing Company. After moving to Florida he studied and became a liscensed electrician. He first worked for Boeing at Patrick AFB and then took a job with Pan American at Cape Canaveral. He was one of those who worked the lights that lit up the pads for night liftoffs of various missles and the shuttle. He retired from Pan Am after 25+ years of service.
He left behind his wife, Patti, his two daughters, grandchildren David Christopher Ward, Juliana Marie Ward, and three great-grandchildren born after his death who were never fortunate enough to meet him.
When he sang when I was a child he reminded me of Dean Martin. Maybe that's why I had a crush on Dean Martin. His eyebrows were alive...very expressive like Sean Connery's...and stayed dark even though his hair turned white. In doing my genealogical research I discovered it came from his grandfather Hall's family...it shows up in many ancestral photos.
He was a very kind and loving man, always ready to help anyone he could. I miss you, daddy.
"Mel" was the youngest of seven children born to Lewis H. Larson and Flora Ellen (Hall) Larson. He told many stories about growing up in a farming area of western Wisconsin including adventures like: the tale of the "Larson lost treasure", a coffee can of Indian Head pennies he and his brothers buried in the farm pasture in the 1920's. They never found it again. Only one Indian Head penny he had hidden away never made it into the can and remains with his family; his father's magical way of communicating with horses (an early day horse whisperer?), and things he and his brother's shouldn't have done behind the barn.
My father served in the Army in the Pacific theater of WWII. The first helmet he was issued was from WWI and had a bullethole in it. He had terrible memories but also some funny ones...like he and his buddies making "hootch" in a buried helmet.
In 1946 he married Virginia Ruth Rose in Milwaukee. She was the mother of his two daughters, Dianne May (Larson) Ward, and Melodye Ellen Larson. They moved to Brevard County Florida in 1954. He and Virginia divorced in 1959. In 1971 he married Patricia Louise Andrew. They divorced briefly but remarried and were married until his death.
In Wisconsin dad worked as a milkman, for Nash Rambler, and for the Miller Brewing Company. After moving to Florida he studied and became a liscensed electrician. He first worked for Boeing at Patrick AFB and then took a job with Pan American at Cape Canaveral. He was one of those who worked the lights that lit up the pads for night liftoffs of various missles and the shuttle. He retired from Pan Am after 25+ years of service.
He left behind his wife, Patti, his two daughters, grandchildren David Christopher Ward, Juliana Marie Ward, and three great-grandchildren born after his death who were never fortunate enough to meet him.
When he sang when I was a child he reminded me of Dean Martin. Maybe that's why I had a crush on Dean Martin. His eyebrows were alive...very expressive like Sean Connery's...and stayed dark even though his hair turned white. In doing my genealogical research I discovered it came from his grandfather Hall's family...it shows up in many ancestral photos.
He was a very kind and loving man, always ready to help anyone he could. I miss you, daddy.
My father served in the Army in the Pacific theater of WWII. The first helmet he was issued was from WWI and had a bullethole in it. He had terrible memories but also some funny ones...like he and his buddies making "hootch" in a buried helmet.
In 1946 he married Virginia Ruth Rose in Milwaukee. She was the mother of his two daughters, Dianne May (Larson) Ward, and Melodye Ellen Larson. They moved to Brevard County Florida in 1954. He and Virginia divorced in 1959. In 1971 he married Patricia Louise Andrew. They divorced briefly but remarried and were married until his death.
In Wisconsin dad worked as a milkman, for Nash Rambler, and for the Miller Brewing Company. After moving to Florida he studied and became a liscensed electrician. He first worked for Boeing at Patrick AFB and then took a job with Pan American at Cape Canaveral. He was one of those who worked the lights that lit up the pads for night liftoffs of various missles and the shuttle. He retired from Pan Am after 25+ years of service.
He left behind his wife, Patti, his two daughters, grandchildren David Christopher Ward, Juliana Marie Ward, and three great-grandchildren born after his death who were never fortunate enough to meet him.
When he sang when I was a child he reminded me of Dean Martin. Maybe that's why I had a crush on Dean Martin. His eyebrows were alive...very expressive like Sean Connery's...and stayed dark even though his hair turned white. In doing my genealogical research I discovered it came from his grandfather Hall's family...it shows up in many ancestral photos.
He was a very kind and loving man, always ready to help anyone he could. I miss you, daddy.
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