Arell C Larsen

Arell C Larsen passed from this life in the early morning hours of September 2, 2025, reuniting with his eternal companion after eight weeks of separation. We know that there was great rejoicing as they continued their journey into eternity together. Dad was born on October 26, 1934 in Glenwood, Utah, the oldest child of Bertrum C and Elsie McClellan Larsen.

Hard work began early in life; his father had the responsibility of running not only his farm but also his mother’s. At one point, Grandpa became very ill for several years, so a great deal of the work fell on Dad and his two younger brothers. Dad remembered checking irrigation lines in the middle of the night with a kerosene lantern when he was eight years old. At age ten he drove a crank-start farm truck while feeding fuel through the control on the steering wheel because he couldn’t reach the pedals. All of the work was done using horse power, and mowing was a particular challenge at first because he wasn’t heavy enough to lower the blades.

Even though there was a lot of hard work, Dad still found time for fun. Glenwood was a small town, and most of his extended family lived close by. He said that one of their favorite games as boys was Cowboys and Injuns– with real .22 rifles! This continued until one boy was seriously injured, and their parents, who had been unaware of this armed combat, put a stop to it. As Dad said, “We were just dumb kids.”

Dad met LuAnn Heaps in November 1952. His mother was a little worried about this because Mom lived in Marysvale, a mining town that didn’t have the best reputation at the time. Grandma was anxious to meet Mom and find out what she was about. Grandma was very pleased with what she saw and was happy when Dad and Mom were sealed for time and all eternity in the Manti Temple on June 1, 1953. They celebrated their 72nd wedding anniversary prior to Mom’s passing on July 9, 2025.

Dad was dedicated to supporting his family. He worked two jobs for most of his adult life, which gave his children the gift of having their mother at home. He was devoted to Mom, and she to him. They made a great team. Dad had a deep love of the outdoors and could find beauty in even the barest of landscapes. It was not unusual for him to pull off to the side of the road to look at the view or watch the sunset. At one point, Dad took up photography, and it is a family joke that very few of his photos included people. He was more interested in mountains, flowers, lakes, and trees. Vacations always included family and usually consisted of camping at Fish Lake or the Boulder Mountain. In later life, Dad took up golf and became quite proficient, achieving four holes-in-one over the years.

Dad had an abiding faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ and was a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He served in both ward and stake callings, including as a member of the bishopric of the Midvale 5th Ward, the Activities committees of both the Midvale 5th and 6th Wards, and as the executive secretary to the branch president in the Sun River senior branch in St. George. He also served a Church service mission with Mom as a member locator in the Finance and Records department. Dad believed that living the gospel was the best way to be a missionary.

Dad is survived by his children, Cindy (Joel) Young, Kirk (Janeil) Larsen, Marilyn Jensen, Chris Larsen, and Kathy (Brian) Cooley; 17 grandchildren, 28 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great granddaughter; two sisters, Marcia Nielsen and Pat (Tim) Curtis; and two brothers, Fred (Lonnie) Larsen and Dean (Marie) Larsen. He was preceded in death by his sweetheart, LuAnn, his parents, brothers Steve, Blaine, Dell, and Ron Larsen, and his son-in-law Steve Jensen.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 13, 2025 at Goff Mortuary, 8090 South State Street, Midvale, Utah. There will be a viewing at 10:00 a.m., with the funeral following at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Redwood Memorial Estates, 6500 South Redwood Road, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Our family would like to express our gratitude to nurse Ruth from IHC Hospice for her kindness and care over the year that Dad was on hospice. We would also like to thank the staff at Ovation Sienna Hills for the help and care they provided both of our parents during their time there.