Rev. Duane Larson

Rev. Duane David Larson, 57, of Spirit Lake passed away unexpectedly at his home on Saturday, January 12, 2019 of a heart attack. Services for Pastor Duane will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday, January 19, 2019 at the Spirit Lake United Methodist Church. A visitation will be held from 5 pm to 7 pm on Friday at the church. Duane was born on December 14, 1961 to Floyd E. and Carrie M. (Dittmeyer) Larson in Rolla, Missouri. He grew up in San Antonio, where he learned his deep appreciation for cheese enchiladas with chili gravy, his love of good music, and how to hit a low drive off the tee in a strong South Texas wind. After graduation from high school he attended Oklahoma Wesleyan University in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. It was during this time that he received his call to ministry and followed that call to Duke Divinity School, where he earned his Master of Divinity. At Duke, he met the one he would love forever, Lisa. They were married on August 11, 1990. Their love for each other was unbreakable. Duane and Lisa have three children, Sam, Seth, and Sarah. Duane was an incredible father who loved his kids immensely. Graduating from years of massive Nerf battles, as the boys grew up he watched esports, learned to play a marginal game of Starcraft, and was a slow but meticulous builder in Minecraft. He also loved to annoy his teenage daughter, a talent he honed to perfection. Duane was a member of the Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church and was serving the United Methodist Church in Spirit Lake, Iowa. Previously he had served in the Missouri Annual Conference and the Southwest Texas Annual Conference. Duane loved the church, which he believed was the embodiment of Christ’s love in the world. He lived by John Wesley’s words: “Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.” He fulfilled this calling to the end. Duane enjoyed playing golf and thought out many of his sermons while on the driving range. In Spirit Lake, he discovered pickleball, which he played three times a week at the YMCA. He loved his pickleball family at the Y. While always a Texan, he claimed Iowa as his home and fully embraced his adopted state. Duane will be remembered for his sense of humor; his mission to keep warm during a cold Iowa winter, including preaching in his snow boots from November to April and his response to being asked if he wanted to take his coat off (“I’ll take it off as soon as I’m not cold”); and his love of Texas football. He will also be remembered as a passionate voice for hope and the power of God’s redeeming grace in the world. He preached it because he believed it. He is survived by his wife Alisa Larson of Spirit Lake; sons Samuel Larson of St. Louis, Missouri, and Seth Larson of Spirit Lake; daughter Sarah Larson of Spirit Lake; sister Sherry (Dennis) Clarkson of Seguin, Texas; brother Paul (Joy) Larson of San Antonio, Texas; brother Larry Larson of Bartlesville, Oklahoma; and sister Donna (Donny) Meurin of New Braunfels, Texas; father- (mother-) in-law Robert (Doris) Battern of Arnolds Park; sisters-in-law Minda Heidenreich (Jeff Olson) of Barnes, Wisconsin, and Kari (Robert) Lucke of Columbia, Missouri; and brother-in-law John (Julie) Battern of Arnolds Park, Iowa. He was preceded in death by his parents, Floyd and Carrie Larson. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be sent to the Spirit Lake United Methodist Church, 1812 Gary Avenue, Spirit Lake, Iowa 51360. A memorial gift will be made to Then Feed Just One.

Rev. Duane Larson

December 14, 1961 - January 12, 2019