Carolyn Larson

Carolyn D. (Ray) Larson being holy, kind, giving, and compassionate passed peacefully into heaven to be with the Lord on November 6, 2017, at the age of 88.

Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:30 am on Wednesday, November 8, 2017 at Spirit of Life Catholic Church, Mandan.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 pm on Tuesday, November 7 at Buehler-Larson Funeral Home, Mandan, with a Rosary at 7 pm.  Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday.

Carolyn was born July 17, 1929 in Murdo, SD to Charles J. and Katherine (Bridgeford) Ray.  They moved to Sioux Falls, SD when she was about 6 years old.  Carolyn attended school and helped with her mother’s piano sales in their house and then cared for her mother in the same house.  She graduated from Cathedral High School in Sioux Falls, class of 1947.  On December 29, 1951 Carolyn married Al Larson and they moved to Memphis, TN so Al could finish his optometric education.  They then moved to Mandan, ND where they made their home south of town, started their family, and resided their whole life.  Carolyn held several different jobs until she succumbed to the fact that God wanted her to be a loving wife and mother of WHAT?!? 8 KIDS! and office manager/accountant to her husband’s optometric practice second.  She was a volunteer for several non-profit organizations in the Mandan-Bismarck area and a member of Spirit of Life Catholic Church.  Carolyn was a lifetime member of D.A.R. and also the Red Hat Club.  She enjoyed traveling, especially her trips to the Holy Land, France, London, Bermuda, Norway, and Australia.  She loved genealogy, watching auto racing, volunteering, social time, starting a cancer support group, and any time spent with her grandchildren, great grandchildren, family, and friends.  Carolyn was a generous and giving person all of her life.  Continuing this, she chose to donate her body to the UND Medical School.  Burial will take place at a later date.

Surviving are eight children, Marcene, AZ, Brian, GA, Julie (Ross) Haibeck, Mandan, Remy (Mary), WY, Page (Mari), Mandan, Glen, Mandan, Jay (Jennifer), NC, and Minette (Casey), Mandan;  16 grandchildren, Clint Lawton, AZ, Kirt Lawton, MA, Wayne Lawton, PA, Eric (Nicole) Larson, GA, Kari, Krystal, Kasie Haibeck, Mandan, Jeremy (Kristine) Scherer, MT, Megan (Jeremy) Ensign, Lincoln, ND, Eli (Christina) Severson, Lincoln, ND, Lee (Sarah) Larson, NE, Brian Alex Larson, CA, Sydney Kool, NC, Abigail Larson, NC, Clinton Alyea, Brien, ND, and Cody (Ali) Alyea, Mandan;

Carolyn was preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Dr. A.L. Larson in 2000; her parents; one sister, Marion Dejmek; and three brothers, Charles, James, and Carleton.

Memorials may be made to Spirit of Life Catholic Church or Parkinson’s Support Group.