William P. Larsen Jr.

William P. Larsen, Jr., formerly of Emerson, NJ, died peacefully on February 24, 2014, in Stuart, FL, surrounded by his loving family. Bill was born on September 10, 1924, in Brooklyn, NY, the son of the late Commander William P. Larsen and Agnes (Dobinson) Larsen. He was raised in Dycker Heights and Bay Ridge. He graduated from St. Michael's Diocesan High School, Sunset Park, Brooklyn in 1942. He then attended Naval Officers School spending a year at the College of the Holy Cross and then a year at Cornell College before receiving his commission in 1944. After commissioning he was a Line Officer in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific Theater and in China until 1946. After a return to civilian life, he attended St. John's University Law School in Brooklyn, where he obtained a law degree (L.L.B.) in 1949 and embarked in 1950 on a distinguished career in Admiralty Law practice in Manhattan that spanned some 38 years, beginning with the firm of Kirlin, Campbell & Keating and later in the majority of his law career as a partner in the firm of Boal, Doti & Larsen. In his career, he was involved in representation arising out of major marine casualties such as the collision of the SS Andrea Doria and the SS Normandie in 1956 and later the loss of the SS Elias in Philadelphia in 1974. Fittingly, he concluded his career with a last court appearance before the U.S. Supreme Court arguing an appeal in a case involving the hijacking of the SS Achille Lauro (Chasser v. Achille Lauro Lines). Bill was predeceased by his wife Madeleine Hagan Larsen in 2004 and by his sister Mary Caufield. He is survived by his eight children: William P. Larsen, III, Esq., Mary Larsen, Matthew Larsen, Anne Scaduto and her husband Michael, Patricia Avento and her husband John, Jennifer Larsen, Christine Hannah and her husband Michael, James Larsen and his wife Noel, and his sister, Carol Luby of Pawtucket, RI. He is also survived by fifteen loving grandchildren: Michael and Christopher Scaduto; Joseph, Matthew, Daniel, John Nicholas, and William Avento; Timothy Larsen; Michael, Mary and Elizabeth Hannah; and Elizabeth, Emily, Hagan and Hallie Larsen, as well as many nieces and nephews. Bill and Madeleine spent most of their family-raising years in Emerson, NJ, where they were active parishioners of Church of the Assumption and members of Hackensack Golf Club. After retiring in 1988 to Grasonville, MD, for ten years, Bill settled in Stuart, FL, where, after the loss of his wife Madeleine, he found the comfort, support and enjoyment of many close friends. He was a Communicant at St. Andrew Catholic Church, Stuart, FL. Bill will be greatly missed for his sense of fun, good humor and love of family. The family will receive their relatives and friends at Becker Funeral Home, 219 Kinderkamack Road, Westwood, NJ on Sunday, March 2, 2-4 and 7-9PM. The Funeral Mass celebrating Bill’s life and faith will be held at R.C. Church of the Assumption, Emerson, NJ on Monday, March 3 at 10:30AM. Private cremation will follow. In lieu of flowers, donations to Treasure Coast Hospice House, 1201 SE Indian Street, Stuart, FL 34997, would be greatly appreciated.