Charles “Chuck” Larsen

Charles “Chuck” Larsen passed away September 14, 2018 in Auburn, California at 91 years of age.
    Chuck was born January 7, 1927 eight miles northeast of New Underwood, SD to Bernhard and Pearl Larsen. He grew up and was educated in rural Meade County and graduated high school at New Underwood.   In high school, he played basketball and coached the grade school basketball team.  In later years he played baseball in a community league, which led to baseball becoming his favorite sport.
    Chuck married Luvene Mooney February 15, 1954. After a few years of working on the Mooney ranch, Chuck and Luvene bought Nels Jorgenson’s ranch in 1958 and it is still in the family to this day.  Over the course of some 60 years they ranched, farmed and ran a Grade A dairy.  Not only was he a dedicated rancher and farmer, he worked 3 years at the New Underwood feedlot.  In the early 1960’s he worked security for the Minuteman Missile sites and in the late 1960’s he had a hay stack moving business.  Chuck supplied calves for the New Underwood play days and is still fondly remembered as the man who drove the tractor to work the arena for the rodeo athletes. As one rodeo contestant remembers, “it wasn’t a rodeo until you saw Chuck on the tractor.” Chuck was known as a kind-hearted friend to all who competed at the rodeos.  Chuck and Luvene were devoted supporters of the Rodeo Bible camps and were very involved with the senior work day of the Lighthouse printing ministry at Liberty Baptist Church.  Dad was also a servant of the community.  He served on the Shoun School Board, the Good Samaritan Board, 10 years on the Milk Producers and was a member of the FSA County Committee for more than 30 years. Chuck love to hunt and fish, and had many good stories of those adventures.  He loved playing all sorts of games, enjoyed doing word search and was lovingly known as the “jigsaw puzzle king”.  He liked doing wood working and became very skilled with a scroll saw.
    His loving survivors include his children: Bernadelle Mooney (Floyd Jr) Tennessee, Taureta Siegalkoff (Bruce) California, Charlene Larsen South Dakota and Eudell Larsen (Marilyn) North Dakota; his grandchildren: Margarete, Marla, Marsha, Chace, Kara, Quaid, Kail, Taik and 8 great-grand children.
    He was preceded in death by his wife Luvene in 2013 and his two brothers Donald (Donnie) and Wesley.
    Funeral service and burial for Chuck took place Monday, Sept. 24 at the Liberty Baptist Tabernacle in Rapid City and the New Underwood cemetery, respectively.