Larson, Bette Loraine passed away peacefully on June 10, 2025, at age 100, in Eden Prairie, MN.

She leaves behind her beloved children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and many relatives and friends.

She was born on January 28, 1925, to Victor and Amanda Bergland in Minneapolis, MN and lived her final years at Summit Place in Eden Prairie. In her youth, she was baptized and confirmed at Riverside Chapel in Minneapolis and graduated from Minneapolis South High School in 1943. She contributed to the WWII effort at the ammunition factory in New Brighton, inspecting 35mm shells to make sure they would not explode in machine guns. She next worked with her friends Mugs and Corky at a chicken factory where they wore rubber boots and had to pluck the chickens as they came by on a chain; the three girls lasted one day. Next the three worked at Miss Morris' Chocolate Company on Washington Avenue, where they rolled chocolates. Similar to the Lucy and Ethel comedy show, lots of chocolates landed on the floor; as a result, they didn't last long at that job. Her final job before transitioning to a stay-at-home mom raising her four children was at National School Studios where she worked in the darkroom developing pictures into the strips school children received in their photo packets. She really enjoyed that job and worked there for a few years.

Bette married the boy next door, Roy Larson, on April 28, 1945. Roy was the love of her life. They raised their four children in Bloomington and when the youngest started school, Bette began many years of service to others. Bette volunteered in the lunchroom at the nearby elementary school. After the head cook told her that she could do more than work in the lunchroom, she began working as a substitute secretary in nearby elementary schools. She then worked for the Bloomington School District in the Kennedy High School office for 11 years, and 6 years as Bloomington School District Community Education administrator.

After retiring, Bette was an active volunteer, participating in the Braille ministry at St. Michaels Lutheran Church. She led her townhouse landscaping committee, especially enjoying working with the arborist. After moving from her townhouse, Bette volunteered at Summit Place in the library and at the front desk. Bette attributed her longevity to a decades-long dedication to exercise that continued almost up to the day of her death. At 18 she joined the downtown Minneapolis YMCA. Throughout the years she practiced strength and cardio training at the former European Health Spa and YMCA in Edina, and the Bloomington Armory. She enjoyed dance lessons, including line dancing, at Colonial Church in Edina. While living at Summit Place she participated in yoga, tai chi, circuit, and water aerobics classes - some even while she was 99 years old.

On her 100th birthday, she was interviewed by the local TV station, FOX9. The advice she offered was to "Get off your butt and keep moving". Her generosity, optimism and sassy sense of humor made her many good friends. Her favorite saying, "I just made that up", always brought laughter. Bette cherished her Swedish ancestry, being a member of the American Swedish Institute, traveling to Sweden and baking many Swedish treats.

She is survived and dearly missed by her son John (Arleen), daughters Dana (Greg Payne) and Susan (Tracy Luke); grandsons Sean (Shaina Case), Jon Dahlin, Nils Dahlin, Craig (Becca), and Erik (Emily); great- grandchildren Bryton, Blynk, Alaina, Branch, Case, Ryette, and Saul; many nieces and nephews; and sister Margaret Johnson.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Roy (1990), her son Brian (2019), her brothers Vernon, Edward, Oliver, and Frank, and her sister Eily.

A service will be held on Monday, July 14, at 11:00 a.m. at

Washburn- McReavy, 5000 West 50th & Highway 100, Edina, MN 55436,

with a visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m.

A reception will follow the service.