Lasting Memories

Marjorie Roberson Larsen
July 25, 1916-Sept. 5, 2014
Palo Alto, California
Submitted by Susan Ward

Marjorie Roberson Browning Larsen passed away at the age of 98, on Sept. 5, 2014, in her home peacefully with her daughter Susan L. Ward at her bedside. Son Wade Larsen, son-in-law R. Burton Ward, granddaughter Cynthia Ward Parker and her great-grandchildren came and paid their last respects at her bedside.

Marjorie was born in Washington, D.C., and spent much of her childhood in New Jersey, Delaware, Washington and Maryland. She is a fifth-generation Washingtonian. She went to Secretarial College in Washington, D.C. She was employed at the DuPont Company where she met Arthur Larsen and married in 1942.

Arthur took a job with Dow Chemical so they moved with their young daughter to California in 1947 living for three years in San Francisco.

Marjorie was a resident of the Barron Park neighborhood of Palo Alto for 64 years, moving into the family home in 1950. She and her husband Arthur C. Larsen (deceased) raised their 3 children in Palo Alto.

She was an active member of the Los Altos Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution for 74 years. She held the office of Regent twice.

Marjorie attended Saint Mark's Episcopal Church in Palo Alto, served many years on the alter guild, was a Sunday school teacher, and was chairman of the annual rummage sale on several occasions.

She was an active member of the Palo Alto Garden Club, spending time as a volunteer gardener at Gamble Garden. Her favorite charity was the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Guild. They held monthly charity sales and Marjorie was chairman of the better dresses department. She loved to knit, and the neonatal intensive care unit of the hospital regularly received handmade caps for the tiniest newborns. Many patients and family members were guests in her home during and after major surgeries and transplants.

Marjorie worked part-time for 25 years as the assistant manager of the Credit and Personal Department at the Emporium at Stanford Shopping Center.

She is survived by three children: daughter, Susan Larsen Ward (Burton), Carmel, California; sons, Wade Larsen (Diane) of Mariposa, California, and Landon Sanford Larsen of Seattle, Washington. She is also survived by five grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.