Max Edward Larson

Max Edward Larson, age 98, of Boise, Idaho, passed from this life on March 11, 2023, early in the morning at his home, after letting his sweetheart know he loved her.

Ed, as everyone knew him by, was born August 3, 1924 in Burley, Cassia, Idaho to Clara Elizabeth Jones Larson and Lars Edward Larson. Like Nephi of old, he said, “I was born of goodly parents.”
Ed never met his father because he had taken ill with Typhoid and died three months after Ed was born.

Clara had to find some income to help the little family of four children. She was able to find a job at Pixtons Candy Shop in Burley. Ed visited her at the candy shop often. Yummy. He also spent a lot of time with his Grandpa Larson at his farm on Goose Creek between Burley and Oakley. Grandpa Larson believed everyone should have some work to do. Grandpa Larson would take him to the field to do the work. All field work was done by horses. Ed became grandpa’s little buddy.

At age 4 his mother bought a horse and buggy and started selling door to door Watkin products. Ed would ride along with her and they would sing. One of their main songs was, “I ain’t got a barrel of money, We may be ragged and funny, but we travel along singing a song, side by side.”
Clara’s siter Mable lived in Basalt, Idaho and Clara decided to go visit her. Ed’s sister Gerry was going too, but they both were afraid to cross the Snake River near Burley on the train. The name of the train was the “Galloping Goose”. To help them get over that point of travel his Uncle Lars gave them each a package of life saver candy and it worked like magic.

Around 1930 his mother met and married John Henry Ottley from Elba. His wife had died several years earlier and he had three young boys. Elba is southeast of Burley, a small community surrounded by mountains. Much different from living in town. Ed learned to love those mountains and the fun things you could do in them; like hunting, fishing and winter sports. Lots of new experiences. He learned to ski and he and his step brother, Merlin, often would climb up the big hill north of the house, taking a long time to do so, and only minutes to ski their way down.

The house on the ranch was a two-story log house where Pa John, as we called him, was born and raised and he in turn was raising his boys. For it’s time the house was modern, but no electricity. The kids slept upstairs; the boys had four in a bed. In the winter the snow would come in through the chinking between the logs and in the summer it was hot.

The ranch had a small creek running behind the house. Ed’s Grandpa Erick Larson would come to visit, pitch his tent in the apple orchard and take Ed fishing. Grandpa would tell Ed, ‘you have to out smart the fish if you want to catch them.’ Grandpa Larson was quite a fisherman. Thus, Ed’s love for fishing started at an early age.

Ed’s mother was a very religious lady and taught her children to pray and love the Lord. They always had morning prayers. One summer day on the way to Primary, they had it during the week then, Clara was driving the horse and buggy. Clara never learned to drive a car. While traveling down their dirt road, one horse jumped in front of the other horse. The bolt that held the single tree to the double tree came out. The single tree hit the horse in the foot causing him to jump ahead. It pulled the neck-yoke of the buggy tongue, scaring the other horse. The buggy started fish tailing down the road. The road being two tracks with rocks and sage brush along each side. The horse got off to the side of the road, and the front which hit a rock and that broke the spokes out of the wheels. As she pulled on the reins, her foot slipped through the leather shield in the front of the buggy and her leg was dragging on the ground. She knew they were in trouble and she said, “Father I asked for protection for this family at family prayer this morning”. She had her prayer answered because she had no sooner said that and ‘someone’ lifted her up out of the position she was in. The kids, Ed, Merlin and baby Steve were thrown from the buggy. They had some bruises and bumps, but no bones broken. Ed was a firm believer in the power of prayer from then on.

Ed attended 8 years of school in Elba and graduated from Raft River High School in 1942. A year later he would enlist in the Navy. He was sent to Farragut, Idaho for basic training. Then to San Francisco and on to the Hawaiian Island. He boarded the USS Iowa and that was home for the next two years. The USS Iowa was the latest class battleship. It was 887 feet long, 137 feet wide, and had three 16” gun turrets, and 12 5” double gun mounts. Ed’s assignment was a gunner and a sight setter on a 20 mm anti-aircraft gun. They were involved in eight different operations in the Pacific area. One fun experience Ed had was setting in the crows nest aboard the Iowa in Tokyo Bay next to the USS Missouri, and he watched through his binoculars the signing of the Japanese surrender.

During shore leave Ed met a beautiful young lady at a dance in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was to correspond with her during his stay on the ship. On April 26, 1946 Ed was honorably discharged from the Navy and returned home to Burley. Wilma had been working at Fort Douglas Air Base and had returned home to Ammon for Christmas. Ed went up to see her, they had a good visit and decide to get married. On February 10, 1947 they were married in Burley, Idaho.

They lived in Burley, farming and working for Ed’s uncles. Later in the fall the first of four daughters was born. They would move to Ammon to help Wilma’s father farm and the second daughter was born. Then they moved to Hagerman and bought their farm and two more daughter were born.

While in Ammon Wilma was baptized into the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They then were sealed in the Idaho Falls temple.

In Hagerman Ed farmed and also took a job with the Department of the Interior working in a branch of the Western Fish Nutrition Lab, at the Federal Fish Hatchery. They did research to find the vitamins and mineral requirements for Chinook and Silver (Coho) Salmon. He operated on thousands of fish and never lost a one.

After living in the Hagerman Valley for 42 years they moved to Boise to be closer to their daughters. That was in 1994.

Ed had many church calling in his life time. They were very important to him . They included, being a counselor to several Bishops, deacon advisor, Elders Quorum leader, Sunday School President, MIA President, Ward Finance Clerk, High Councilor, Stake Representative for the church camp at Alturas Lake for 8 years. Where the family had many get to gathers and lots of fun.
Over the course of their married life, they had the joy of travel where ever their daughters lived. They also were able to travel to most of the earth’s continents, and many countries and have fun memories.

Ed is survived by his wife of 76 years, Wilma; four daughters and sons-in-law: Terri (Teresa Jane) and Kent Krohn; Kathy Lynn and Melvin Chick; Debbi (Debra Ann) and Steven Misseldine; Shelli (Michele Renee) and Tracy Madsen. They have 25 grandchildren; 68 great-grandchildren; 1 great-great grandchild with another on the way in July.

Ed is proceeded in death by his parents, Lars Edward and Clara Elizabeth Jones Larson; siblings: Alvin Larson, Geraldine Searle, Ross Larson; half-brother, Steven Ottley; and step brothers; Leonard Ottley, Wenzel Ottley and Merlin Ottley. Also, a grandson: Mathew Chick.

Ed and Wilma served in the Boise, Idaho Temple for 25 years plus.  They also served two missions for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Thanks goes to Wendy,  Ed's hospice nurse and the hospice program. 

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Ed's name to the Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah, or to your favorite organization.