SIOUX CITY -- Dennis Lee Larsen Sr., 61, of Sioux City died Saturday, April 4, 2009, at a Sioux City hospital.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at St. James United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Ryan Christenson officiating. Burial will be in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Primghar, Iowa, with military rites conducted by the U.S. Army. Visitation will be 4 to 7 p.m. today at Morningside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent online to
www.christysmith.com
.
Dennis was born Dec. 16, 1947, in Primghar, Iowa, the son of Charles and Opal (Tanner) Larsen. He grew up and attended school in Primghar, where he enjoyed playing football. He entered the U.S. Army in 1967 and served during the Vietnam War with the 9th Medical Lab. He was honorably discharged in 1969.
He married Genal Rodenberg on June 6, 1970, in Primghar. They owned and operated Genal's Cafe in Hartley, Iowa. He also worked as a manager of the seed plant and farm for Hy-Vigor Seeds in Paullina, Iowa. Genal died in June 2000. He moved to Sioux City in 2005.
He loved watching and traveling on trains, traveling the west coast twice in the last few years. He was a perfectionist, who enjoyed refurbishing John Deere tractors. He also enjoyed fishing and gardening.
He is survived by his children, Denise Delgadillo and family of Sioux City, Dennis Larsen Jr. and family of Hartford, S.D., Diana Larsen and family or Pleasant Prairie, Wis., Dena Honken and family of Hartley and Dee Mulder and family of Mission Hill, S.D.; 13 grandchildren, Whitney, Alex, Christopher, Dylan, Drew, Kassidy, Briana, KiRonee, Destiny, Grant, Eli, Ella and Aidan; his siblings, Peggy and Phillip Baker of Texas, Gloria Morris of Sheldon, Iowa, Phyllis and Brad Fear of Everly, Iowa, and Phil and Cheryl Larsen of Sheldon; and his fiancee, Arlys Schreiner and family of Sioux City.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Genal Larsen; a granddaughter, Kennedy Larsen; a sister, Barbara; and a infant brother, Jerry Lee.