Norma Cudmore Larson

Following a brief illness just short of her 95th birthday, Norma Larson was called home to heaven on October 13, 2020 at the Mobridge Regional Hospital.

Born on December 9, 1925, she was the youngest child of the large family of Fred and Josephine (Livermont) Cudmore, who ranched south of Timber Lake. She attended school through the 8th grade at the Madsen School near the ranch, was a nanny in Mobridge for a short time and then in 1944 moved to Seattle, WA to work for Boeing during World War II.

Returning to Mobridge, she worked at a dry cleaners before marrying Raymond Larson from Mound City on March 9, 1947 at the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Mobridge. Ray’s sister Fern and her husband Archie Wessel were their attendants.

Their early married years were spent farming near Mound City and Glencross followed by a move to Aberdeen in 1953 and eventual return to Mobridge in 1955.

In 1957 they purchased a general store on Main Street in Wakpala that was known for many years as Larson’s Store. They purchased a new home in Mobridge in 1963 so their boys could attend school there while they continued to operate their store in Wakpala until 1970.

Ray passed away on February 27, 1993 and Norma continued to live on her own north of Mobridge on 4th Avenue East until her passing – always keeping up on the daily activities of her scattered family that she loved and worried so much about. The “Price Is Right” and Minnesota Twins baseball were her favorite forms of entertainment.

She showed gentle control of her four boys as they were growing up and that same gentle love continued on to her grandchildren and greatgrandchildren (with another due in 2021). She loved their frequent visits to her home but declined sitting on the floor with them to play games, telling them she could get down but wasn’t sure about getting back up again - they always compromised. They all loved her gentle, kind, softspoken, forgiving and compassionate ways. She was her family’s anchor.

Proud to have shared her life are her sons Lyle (Jennifer) Larson of Mobridge, Jerome Larson of Hettinger, ND, Larry Larson of Rapid City and Gale (Rhonda) Larson of Mobridge; grandchildren— Jody, Jesse (Jenny) and Jared (Stephanie) Larson; Heather, Jeremy, Brandon (Katie Jo) and Tyler Larson; Allison (Chris) Gonzales and Brittany (George) Laundreaux; great-grandchildren— Avery, Jalen, Serenity, Wyatt, Devin, Halle and Zachary Larson; Charlee Larson and Owen Beitelspacher; Lucille and Laila Gonzales; Skylee and Rosalie Laundreaux; and Tiffany Stickney. She also leaves many nieces and nephews who stayed close to her throughout her later years, keeping the Cudmore family history alive. She was the end of an era.

Norma is preceded in death by her husband Ray; her parents Fred and Josephine Cudmore of Timber Lake; her brothers Charles, Walter, Albert (Ernest), Freddie and Grover Cudmore; sisters Alta (Willis) Whitney, Mae (Bill) Fraser, Milleta (Ralph) Grage, Maxine (Kenneth) Long and Sarah (Ole) Hulm; Ray’s parents Arthur and Tilda Larson from Mound City; and his siblings Fern (Archie) Wessel, Shirley (Terry) O’Rourke, and Norman (Leila) Larson.

Per her wishes (and Covid-19), a memorial visitation will be held on October 31, 2020 from 10 a.m. until noon CT at Kesling Funeral Home followed by a private graveside service with immediate family and inurnment at Greenwood Cemetery.

Memorial donations will be directed to Trinity Lutheran Church in Mobridge and Norway Lutheran Church at Glenham.