Emma Irene Larson, 94

Emma Irene Larson was born August 10, 1919 in Ardoch, ND to Robert and Margaret (Pearce) Wilson. Emma loved gardening, raising birds, animals, sewing and embroidering. She was also a phenomenal cook. She loved visiting with friends and neighbors, writing cards and letters, reading books and the Bible. Emma loved life and everyone around her, but was very much a home body! You never left her house hungry or unhappy. She even learned to enjoy the new-fangled microwave oven and she never owned a cell phone.
Emma was a very hard worker all her life. She was the BEST MOM anyone could ever have wanted. She started out her life as a farmer’s daughter, #2 of 4 sisters. Her mother died when she was only 14 years old. This meant that she had to take over all the inside house work, cooking for the hired men (10-15) and the family, cleaning the home and washing the clothes. She had to grow up fast. She married Reubin Larson on May 1, 1947; they had a son James on July 3, 1948, he was their only child. They moved a lot, four times before moving to Greenbush in 1955 where they farmed for two years before moving to the city of Roseau in 1957. Emma worked at Reeses Gift Store, Nelson Café, The Golden Hotel and REM children’s home. Then she started working at Hetten’s Hoist and Derrick in the fiberglass department of what became Polaris Industries. She moved with them to the present Polaris location and retired from the fiberglass department in 1985. They then moved to the farm again in rural Badger (Nereson Township). She gardened and raised her animals; she had a cat and a dog. They had no running water or electricity. They had gas lights, fridge and a wood stove for heating and cooking. They were really roughing it! At first they had a sand point for a well; later on a well was drilled on the property. Her son Jim put electricity in their house but Emma still didn’t want running water because she was afraid it would freeze. They finally gave up on their pioneer life and moved to Badger in 1993 and became modern again. Rubin passed away in 2003 and Emma lived by herself until her passing. She was 94 years, 10 months and 7 days (young) when she passed away on June 17, 2014. A Funeral Service for Emma Larson of Badger, MN was held on Saturday, June 21, 2014 at 2:00PM at Helgeson Funeral Home in Roseau, MN. Visitation was at noon on Saturday at Helgeson Funeral Home in Roseau, MN. Interment was held at Mickinock Cemetery in Wannaska, MN.
Emma passed away on Tuesday, June 17, 2014 at Life Care Medical Center in Roseau, MN at the age on 94.
Helgeson Funeral Home
Joan Timm/Office Coordi