Obituary of Robert Lew Larsen

Robert Lew (Bob) Larsen, 84, a longtime resident of Pike Lake passed away peacefully Saturday, December 2, 2017, in St. Luke's Hospital surrounded by his loving family. He was born July 23, 1933 in Duluth, MN. He attended Proctor High School and joined the Navy in 1952. While in the service he traveled to the Mediterranean, the Arctic Circle and throughout the Caribbean. After discharge in 1956 he returned to Proctor. He was a fireman for the Great Northern Railroad for 3 years and also owned Larsen Bros Mobile Gas Station. In 1958 he married Dorothy Backstrom. He started working construction in 1959 and worked as a carpenter for over 40 years retiring in 1998. After retirement he loved spending winters in Mesa, AZ and taking numerous vacations to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. He spent his later years of retirement back home in Minnesota where he enjoyed ice fishing, snowmobiling, cross country skiing, making stain glass art, golfing, camping and fishing in his Lake Superior boat and of course always working on projects in his garage. He could make anything out of wood. He was a true artist. Bob also raced at the Proctor Speedway, gave golf lessons to children at the Pike Lake Golf Course and was once the President of Twig Hockey Association where he was also a coach. He was preceded in death by his wife Dorothy Larsen, his parents; sister's Corrine Larsen, Charlene White and his brother Raymond Larsen. He is survived by son Steve (Terry) of Duluth; daughter Sandy Nelson (Todd) of Superior; son Scott (Stacey) of Carlton; son Dan of Hermantown; grandchildren Cindy and Jason Larsen of Duluth; Ryan (Anna) of St. Paul; Lacey Dunaiski; Justin Bassa; great grandson Landon Bansback all of Hermantown; sister's Betty Miller and Dorothy Parker both of Duluth; sister-in-law Barb Larsen; brother-in-law Kenneth Backstrom (Paula) and many nieces, nephews, cousins and other special friends. We will miss his advice, encouragement and sense of humor but most of all his love. The family would like to extend our thanks to the staff at Edgewood Vista. A memorial service will be held Friday, December 8, 2017 at 11:00 am at Cremation Society of Minnesota, 4100 Grand Ave. Duluth, MN with a visitation one hour prior. A reception will follow at the Proctor Moose Club.