Louis Allen Larson

It is with sorrow that we share the passing of Louis Allen Larson at the age of 89, on March 23, 2022 at his home in Mission, BC. Allen died peacefully after a short illness in the loving company of his daughters and granddaughters.

Allen was born on April 12, 1932, the second of four children, to Louis and Lendie Larson, on his grandfather’s homestead near Swanson, Saskatchewan. He described a happy childhood, though money was very scarce and his father was deployed during the Second World War, “for a steady source of income”. After high school he joined the military for similar reasons, leaving after three years, as he was not very good at having other people tell him what to do and when. He met and married his beloved Arlee and moved to Edmonton where first Becky and then Arne were born, while he articled as a chartered accountant. Leslie was born just before Allen's work for the Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC) took the family to northern Quebec: first to Schefferville, where Johanna and Michael were born, and later to Sept-Iles. His work reached the level of Vice President of IOC by the early 1980’s.

In 1985 Allen retired to Langley, BC, where he and Arlee began the long and much-loved tradition of gathering their children and grandchildren, and their friends to their home whenever possible. In 1993 the couple followed their love of golf to a beautiful new home just outside of Kamloops, at Rivershore Golf-course and Estates, where Allen also took up hobbies such as wood-working and his beloved watercolours and where the children and grandchildren had their “other home”.

Allen was a loving and generous soul, whose occasional gruff prickliness was balanced by an affectionate heart and curious mind. In 2010 he and Arlee made their final move to Cedarbrooke Retirement Residence in Mission, BC, where he enjoyed the warm and open community and was a welcome fixture in many activities and where he seldom missed happy hour. Allen repeated often in his last days that Cedarbrooke residents and staff, were “family”.

The sudden loss of Arlee his wife in November 2020 was extremely difficult for Allen, and though he will be missed, it is a comfort to those who love them both to know that they are together.

Allen is survived by his daughters Becky (Joseph Temple) of Fort St John, BC; Leslie (Richard Caouette) of Sept-Iles, Que; and Johanna (Tim Ulmer) of Mission, BC; his grandchildren Meredith, Eleanor and Claire Temple; Stephanie, Russell, and Curtis Caouette; Gabrielle and Max Ulmer; and Darcy Larson; and his great grand-daughter Olivia Vollant (Stephanie); as well as many nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews. He is predeceased by his sons Arne and Michael, his brothers Bill and John, his sister Nonie and his parents Louis and Lendie.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, a donation be made to the charity of your choice.