Norma Jean Larson passed away Thursday, October 17, 2024 at the age of 96. Born in Savanna IL to the late Otto and Helen (Graham) Wolfe. She graduated from Savanna High School in 1946 and moved to the big city of Freeport IL.
Jeannie found a job quickly and started on her long career as a keypunch operator. She rented a room from one of her coworkers. The coworker had a nephew in Kenosha who visited often, and it became even more often once he met the lovely new boarder. About a year later Jeannie married Sylvester (Bud, Shorty) Larson and moved to Kenosha. They had 59 years together until Shorty’s death in 2006.
Jeannie worked at Simmons and American Motors in the data processing areas, retiring in 1983.
After retirement Jeannie enjoyed helping her friends and family, going to casinos and traveling on cruises with her daughter. Her intelligence, independent nature and kind sense of humor made her delightful company well into her nineties.
Jeannie is survived by her daughters, Cynthia Larson-Schwartz and Carla Larson-Struss, her granddaughter, Lia Schwartz, numerous nieces and nephews, and close friends, Jessie and Annie Rangel.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; her brother, Charles (Maggie) Wolfe; and her sisters, Marge (Sam) Mattie, Nina (Randy) Lindquist, Rita (Bud) Bull and Ruth (Marvin) Dahlke. Also preceding her were her sons-in-law, Rod Struss and Binone (Nony) Schwartz; and her brothers and sisters-in law, Gerry (Bob) Harper, Gene (Dee) Larson, Bob (Willamae) Larson, Vernon Larson, Bill Larson, Lois (Kermit) Nelson, and Norman (Eleanor) Larson.
Jeannie was a lifelong member of Grace Lutheran Church.
The family wants to thank the residents and staff of Azura Memory Care in Kenosha and St. Croix Hospice for the kindness, friendship and care they provided in the last months of her life.
A private inurnment will be held at a later date.
Memorials can be made to Grace Welcome Center, 2006 60th St., Kenosha https://www.gracewelcomecenter.org/donate/, Shalom Center, 4314 39th Ave., Kenosha https://www.shalomcenter.org/donate/, or American Cancer Society, 270 Peachtree St NW, Suite 1300, Atlanta, GA 30303 https://www.cancer.org/donate/memorial-giving.html (in honor of her sons-in-law).
