Bruce Earl Larsen was born June 9, 1935, at his aunt Mary’s home, the son of the late Thorvel and Violet (Theilman) Larsen. He returned home to Mist, Oregon, that week. At the age of 9, he moved in with his sister Norma and her husband Boone (ET) Johnston at Birkenfeld, where he received his education. He helped on the farm, doing chores like any child. He quit school after half of his freshman year, continuing on the farm. At 16 and a half, he started to work on a tugboat, the Fleetwood, towing log rafts from the log dumps to the large sawmill along the Columbia River. As soon as he turned 1 he got his chauffeur’s license (Class A). He hauled logs and lumber and drove the chip truck from the Mist mill to Longview.
He was united in marriage to Norma M. Norman on June 24, 1955, in Seaside, Oregon. They would have celebrated their 67th wedding anniversary this month. Following their marriage, they resided in the communities of Birkenfeld, Taft, Medford and Warren, Oregon; Flagstaff, Arizona; Los Angeles and Sacramento, California; and back to Warren, Oregon, in 2004. In 2006, they became full time RVers, hiking the desert, Death Valley or just hills, wherever they parked. Then it was time to find a home they could stay at in the summer, then head south in the winter. In 2012, they bought a home in Woodland, Washington, where they have resided since.
Bruce owned and operated his own log truck when in Birkenfeld and Taft (now Lincoln City.) Later he bought a share in a plywood mill in White City, Oregon, before driving a freight truck for ONC, McLean and finally Roadway, retiring at the age of 65.
When the kids were in 4-H, he helped with the horses and the club. The boys discovered motorcycles. He did a cross country race from Burns to Bend and finished. Their daughter sold her horse, got a part-time job and finished her schooling. While exercising on a Nordictrack and watching the Boston Marathon, he thought that it had to be more fun than it looked, so he started running. Over the years, he ran in and finished 19 marathons.
Bruce was preceded in death by his parents, Thorvel Larsen and Violet Stuve; two stepbrothers, Paul and Walter Larsen; brother Philip Larsen; sisters Norma Johnston and Eunice Condit; his half-sister, Karen Stuve Bender; stepbrothers Russell Stuve and Lloyd Stuve; and stepsister Delores Stuve Salmi.
Surviving is his wife, Norma Larsen, of Woodland, Washington; his four children, Brien and Maureen Larsen, of Pahrump, Nevada, Julie Larsen, of Flagstaff, Arizona, Bart Larsen and Kathy Banford, of Couer d’Alene, Idaho, and Brett Larsen, of Apache Junction, Arizona.
Also surviving are his five grandchildren, Morgen Larsen, Brittney Miller, Jessie Lupton, Cole Lupton and Dana Larsen; his five great-grandchildren, Zinnia Larsen, Buddy and Oliver Miller and Cody and Faith Larsen; and many nieces and nephews.
The family suggests that remembrances may be contributions to the charity of their choice in his memory.
To send a condolence to or to sign the online guest book go to www.fuitenrosehoyt.com.
