Larry Alan Mikkelson, age 72, of Harmony, Minn., died peacefully on March 16, 2019, at Gundersen Harmony Care Center after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 20, 2019, at the Canton Scotland Presbyterian Church, 104 West Fillmore Ave, Canton, Minn., Friends may call from 10 a.m. until time of services at the church. Lindstrom Funeral Home in Harmony is assisting the family.
Larry was born August 7, 1946, at Prairie du Chien, Wis., to Melenor and Joyce (LaPointe) Mikkelson. He was a the oldest of four children. He attended school in West Union and Cresco, Iowa. Larry graduated from high school in Harmony, Minn., where he was an active wrestler. He attended Winona State College, where he received a BS in biology. In 1967 he married Jackie Rustan; they lived in Faribault and Northfield, Minn. Into this union were born two daughters, they later divorced. He married Terri Murphy in 2001 at the historic Lenora Methodist Church. They resided in Harmony, Minn., until 2015 when Larry became a resident of Gundersen Harmony Care Center. Larry spent most of his life in the insurance business working for Tri State Insurance of Luverne, Minn., and later had his own agency in Harmony.
He was an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed planting many apple and pine trees and always planted a large garden. He was an active member of Ducks Unlimited, Pheasants Forever, National Turkey Foundation, MN Pheasants Inc., and the Canon River Sportsman’s Club. He was also a beloved coach for Special Olympics. Larry loved spending time with his two grandsons, teaching them to fish and garden.
Larry was an active member of the Canton Scotland Presbyterian Church of Canton, Minn.
Larry is survived by his wife Terri, of Harmony; a daughter, Lori (Blake) Wiedner of Lakeville, Minn.; two stepdaughters, Deena Murphy of Norwalk, Wis., and Erin Murphy of Mount Pleasant, Tex.; two grandsons, Jack and Max Wiedner of Lakeville, Minn.; his father, Melenor Mikkelson of Harmony; three siblings: Sherry Miller, of Frankfort, Mich., Gary Mikkelson of Eyota, Minn., and Tami Hoag of Thousand Oaks, Calif.; and his special Aunt Karen Morris of Harmony.
Larry is preceded in death by his mother, Joyce Mikkelson and a daughter, Barbie Mikkelson.