Following a brief illness just short of her 95^th 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 born into the large family of Fred and Josephine (Livermont) Cudmore who ranched south of Timber Lake, South Dakota. She attended school through the 8^th grade at the Madsen School near the ranch, was a nanny in Mobridge for a short time and then in 1944 moved to Seattle to work for Boeing during World War II. Returning to Mobridge, she worked at a drycleaners before marrying Raymond Larson from Mound City on March 9, 1947 at the Wesleyan Methodist Church in Mobridge with Ray’s sister Fern and her husband Archie Wessel as 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 continuing 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 4^th 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 4 boys as they were growing up and that same gentle love continued on to her grandchildren and great grandchildren 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, soft-spoken, forgiving and compassionate ways and our family has been able to share her for far longer then any of us ever expected. She was our anchor.

Proud to have shared her life are her sons Lyle (Jennifer) Larson, Mobridge; Jerome Larson, Hettinger, ND; Larry Larson, Rapid City and Gale (Rhonda) Larson from Mobridge. She also leaves behind her 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. Also surviving are 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. Her weekly telephone conversation with Ray’s cousin, Betty (Rumsey) Petrich, from Anaheim Hills, California will be greatly missed.

She is preceded in death by her husband Ray; her parents Fred and Josephine Cudmore, Timber Lake; her brothers Charles, Walter, Albert (Ernest), Freddie and Grover Cudmore along with sisters Alta (Willis) Whitney, Mae (Bill) Fraser, Melitta (Ralph) Grage, Maxine (Kenneth) Long and Sarah (Ole) Hulm. She is also preceded in death by Ray’s parents Arthur and Tilda Larson from Mound City along with 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 10:00am until noon 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, Glenham.

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