Covenant News

Services Planned December 12 for Gladys S. Larson

SPRING VALLEY, CA (November 25, 2003) - Memorial services will be held at 2:30 p.m. on December 12 at Mt. Miguel Covenant Village's Bailey Center for Gladys S. Larson, widow of former Covenant pastor and superintendent Elmer E. Larson.

Larson died at Mt. Miguel Covenant Village on November 14. She was 101. Her son Chester, a retired Covenant pastor who had served as superintendent of the Southeast Conference, said, "She was a wonderful pastor's wife and mother, and a blessing to many people in her long life."

Born October 23, 1902 in Chicago, Gladys grew up at North Park Covenant Church and attended business college, working as a secretary before meeting her husband at North Park Theological Seminary. They were married on November 8, 1924 in Chicago. They shared in ministry as Elmer served churches in Lake Norden, South Dakota; Randolph, Kansas; Buffalo, New York; and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Elmer served briefly as associate superintendent of the Northwest Conference and then became superintendent from 1950 to 1963 once he finished parish ministry. During their time in Minneapolis, Gladys was a part-time parish worker at Edina Covenant Church and served as President of Covenant Women Ministries for the Northwest Conference (1959-63).

After retirement, Elmer served five years as administrator and Gladys was a matron for Elim Covenant Home in Tejunga, California, a suburb of Los Angeles. They moved to Mt. Miguel Covenant Village in the fall of 1976 and Gladys was a deaconess at nearby Mt. Miguel Covenant Church while singing in the retirement home's choir. Elmer died in 1977.

Gladys is survived by her daughter LaVerne Larson of Springfield, Massachusetts; son Chester (Jean) of Northbrook, Illinois; and eight grandchildren and their spouses. She is also survived by 20 great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

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