Shirley Olive Larsen's Obituary
Shirley Olive Hopkins Larsen, beloved by family and friends, passed away at her home in Pleasant Grove, Utah on September 11, 2014 at age 93. She was born in Perry, Idaho on December 3, 1920 to Charles Monroe Hopkins and Louie Elmina Wilde, the youngest of nine children. Her father, Charles, acquired a piece of land on the Bear River near Thatcher, Idaho and began farming. There was a mineral hot springs bubbling up on the property so he took advantage of that and built a commercial hot springs swimming pool which attracted patronage from all around the area including native American families. The Hopkins Hot Springs has exchanged owners several times since then but is still in use now known as Maple Grove Hot Springs.
When Shirley was just eleven months old, her father was helping a neighbor prepare his garden area and stepped on a rusty nail. Gangrene set in and soon took his life leaving Louie on her own to provide for herself and the nine children. Louie was fearful of the steaming hot water and the many strangers which came to the area, so she sold the farm and the pool and moved her family a few miles away to Mink Creek where they had some relatives. Life there was meager at best. Louie took in washing and ironing and did house cleaning. The children helped as best they could by finding jobs with neighbors and relatives. They made do with what they had. Even food was often in short supply. Shirley tells of fainting at school one day for lack of food. Later when Shirley’s children would complain at times that they were hungry, she’d chide them with, “You don’t know what hungry is!” The hard times seemed to draw the family close together and they stayed in contact through the years. As children, they had fun together sliding across the floor in their socks, wresting, and playing games. In the winter, there was coasting down the big hill on sleds. Shirley acquired the nick name of Cha Cha from her love of chewing gum. She had a cheery disposition and a lot of friends.
One warm Sunday evening, Shirley was visiting at a girlfriend’s house when a group of boys who had driven over from Preston had a flat tire in front of the house. The girls went out “just to be friendly.” The driver was a handsome fellow by the name of Noval Marshall Larsen. He asked her out for a date for the next weekend and that was the beginning of a 75-year romance. They were married on March 20, 1941 in the LDS Logan Temple.
Noval’s father had developed Parkinson’s disease so Noval and Shirley began married life living with his parents in Preston to help take care of the family farm. A year later their first child, Sharey Ann, was born. Two year later their second daughter, Coreen, joined the family. A sad time came in June of 1946 when a set of twin boys were stillborn. The family continued to grow, next came Lanny and then the twins--Barry and Jeannene.
By now the need had arrived for an increase in income. They made their move in 1951 to a larger farm in Marsing, Idaho where they stayed for the next 50 years farming and raising their family which later grew to include Delon and Bruce making her the mother of nine children whom she dearly loved. Another sad time came to the family when Bruce died at the age of 12 from appendicitis.
Shirley wasn’t afraid of hard work and helped with the rest of the family detasseling corn, picking fruit in the orchards, and doing farm work as needed. She spent hours each summer bottling fruit and preparing food for winter use. She often told readings or stories to her helpers to make the work seem easier. In addition to her family, her most prized possession was her membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Shirley had a chance to develop her talents in the Marsing LDS Ward writing and producing several road shows and teaching Relief Society, Primary, and early-morning seminary. She also held several leadership positions in the Ward and Stake. She and Noval served in the Boise Temple for 14 years and as Stake missionaries. At the time of her death, she was serving as a Relief Society teacher. She is known for her gentle patience, her poetry, readings, songs, and planning wonderful family reunions.
A lovely soul has left our midst and winged herself to heaven.
Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 20, 2014 at the Garden 5th Ward LDS Chapel, 905 N. 500 W., Pleasant Grove, UT. Viewings will be at the church from 6:00-8:00 p.m. on Friday and 9:30-10:30 a.m. on Saturday.
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