John Calder Larsen
November 4, 1938 ~ October 25, 2026
Born in:
Minot, North Dakota
Resided in:
Fargo, North Dakota
Services will be live streamed below starting at 9:30 AM.
John Calder Larsen was born on November 4, 1938, to Norman and Winnie Larsen in Minot, ND. John lived his growing up years in Minot where he learned to love nature, hunting, fishing, shooting, collecting Native American artifacts and many other activities with his parents and friends.
During his college years in Fargo, John met the love of his life, Esther Burchill while enrolled in the Entomolgy and Agronomy program at NDSU. It was during this same period of time that John heard, received, and responded to the Gospel message through two of God’s servants. Receiving the Gospel changed his path in life and enriched him with the deepest blessings of faith and the fellowship of God’s saints and servants throughout the rest of his life. John spoke of this freely and often right to the end of his days. It was his testimony.
Shortly after John’s graduation in the spring of 1962, John and Esther married and he started a 40-year career with the US Department of Agriculture that took them from North Dakota to Indiana, where their three children Sarah, Diana, and George were born. His career took them on to Michigan and Maryland, finishing up with 24 special years in Cheyenne, Wyoming. In 2009, several years after retiring, they moved to Livingston, MT where they resided until 2019 when they moved to the Park Avenue Apartment in Fargo, ND… “just about a mile” in John’s own words from where he met “my Esther” and from where he heard the Gospel message for the first time. A full circle of life complete.
John’s family is so very grateful for each of you. We recognize that his love for God’s family, combined with their moving around the country during 64 years of marriage has resulted in a family that extends immeasurably beyond ours and is knit together by the bond of charity. Words alone cannot express what this means to us today.
John is survived by his wife of 64 years, Esther of Fargo, ND; daughter Sarah Price and husband Todd of Richmond, VA and their children Ben (Mally) and Meridith (Henry); daughter Diana Hettich and husband Norman of Roscoe, SD and their children Jeanne (Stephen), Rachel (Stormie), Charles (Heather), and Sophie; son George and wife Camille of Emigrant, MT and their children Jessica (David), Coleman, Jake (Katie), Emily (Zach) and Lance; as well as 16 great grandchildren, Arlo and Georgie Price-Jones, Winter Zerdelian-Walton, Walker, Millie, and Lars Farnsworth, Brianna and Nora Super, Chloe, Jesse, and Hailey Hettich, Addie, Callie, and Taggart Denio, and Molly and Anna Larsen.
Services
Visitation: Saturday, October 31, 2026 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Boulger Funeral Home and Celebration of Life Center
123 10th Street S.
Fargo, North Dakota 58103
701-237-6441
https://boulgerfuneralhome.com
Funeral Service : Saturday, October 31, 2026 10:00 am
Boulger Funeral Home and Celebration of Life Center
123 10th Street S.
Fargo, North Dakota 58103
701-237-6441
https://boulgerfuneralhome.com
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Just found out about John. He was such a good man and will never forget how he came into our lives 40 years ago. Please know how much we care!! All our love, Martin and Arlene
He will be dearly missed by his loving family and friends. May the God of all comfort draw near.
Special memories.
So sorry for your family’s loss, Sarah. These are hard days to get through, I know. May the comfort of the Holy Spirit feel very real.
Esther and family,
I was remembering the last couple days how Uncle John used to like to pull quarters and M&Ms out from behind our ears, and how good he was at showing us how he could pull his finger off and put it back on. He told me his trick for making sure dogs didn’t get him when he was riding his bicycle: he would put some gravel in his pocket to throw at them if they got too close.
And I remember the Thanksgiving a couple years ago when we were going around the table and saying what we were thankful for, and he was so thankful for the gospel. And now he has gone on to what he was living for.
Hugs and prayers for all of you.
Love,
Melissa
Esther we are thinking of you and your family with love and care ❤️ velwoods
We are so sorry for your loss! Your Dad was a very gentle man and we are thankful we got to know him in his latter years.
With love and care, Rick and Ann
Thoughts and prayers for all of you.
Many special memories of when you all lived in Indiana: the “boys” hunting arrowheads, picnicking and walking trails at Turkey Run State Park, sitting around a fire roasting hot dogs, marshmallows…. Enjoying fellowship together because of the gospel. Thoughts and hearts are with you and hope you are comforted knowing that John made good choices in life.
We had some great times back when the Larsons lived “back east”. Our condolences to all the family.
Oh the memories well up! When John first came to Michigan and stayed in our home….. afternoons on Sunday at your home near Battle Creek……..Then visiting you and John in Montana when I was cross country driving. So many warm memories of those times. He was a gentle, sweet man and will be missed by all. May God comfort you in your loss and warm memories sustain you as you remember all he was to you and your family and to so many others he encountered in this life!
So glad for John’s sweet release, but we will all miss him so much!
Love, Eva
Dear Esther and family,
We appreciate very much getting better acquainted with you after you moved to Fargo. We will always remember how John so often shared how thankful he was for when the gospel came to him. We appreciate the faithful steady examples of both of you. Our thoughts are with you these days. Lyle and Becky
Dear Esther and familiy,
I am remembering all the “firsts” I had with John. First taste of fried almonds, cornbread with bacon on the bottom. He gave me my first (and only) gun, first bike, first hike in the woods in Indiana, first river float in a john boat.
At your wedding his cousin Bill tied a cowbell WAY up high in the underbody of your car that took a long time to find. Taught me to play caroms.
He and Esther provided a “home away from home” for Anna when she took a job in Cheyenne.
I will miss him saying “Well there’s Dave” when I walk into the apartment.
Then of course there is his unwavering faith in God and son Jesus. The last time I saw him he expressed his desire was to finish faithfully.
Rest peacefully, John. Your soul is safely in God’s hands.
Dave
I am very thankful for my acquaintance with John and his family. John was a great friend, advisor, an Elder Brother, or “uncle”. I have many special memories during my first year away from home, in Cheyenne, Wyoming with John & Esther Larson. Their door was always open.
We often carpooled to church meetings, sharing an appreciation for gospel truths. His interests were my interests, often talking about hunting, fishing, firearms, and farming.
He took me ice fishing in the mountains or high plains many times that winter.
Special people and special times create special memories!
Sorry for your loss Esther and family! I know you will miss him, but be comforted in the fact that he was faithful to the end. Time heals the heartache, but cannot take our memories.!