St. John's Family Funeral Home & Crematory385 SR 207Saint Augustine, FL
InurnmentAug. 20, 2022San Lorenzo Catholic CemeterySend Flowers
ST. AUGUSTINE, FL - Thomas "Tom" Michael Larson, formerly of Elkton, FL, passed away peacefully August 14, 2022, with family at his side. He was 83.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, August 20, 2022, at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Elkton, FL, where he was a longtime parishioner. Inurnment will be at San Lorenzo Catholic Cemetery in St. Augustine, alongside his wife of 56 years, Karen Amsrud Larson.
Born November 9, 1938, Tom was the youngest of four children of Louis T. and Margaret (Czarnetsky) Larson of La Crosse, WI.
From an early age he showed a talent for tinkering, starting with a transistor radio (at the time, a new invention) that he took apart and rebuilt while he was in elementary school.
He went on to graduate from Aquinas Catholic High School in La Crosse and Parks College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology at Saint Louis University in St. Louis, MO, where he earned a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering.
On August 6, 1960, Tom married his high school sweetheart, Karen Amsrud, and they had three children and three grandchildren.
He went on to have a long and successful career as an engineer, working for Harnischfeger Corp. of Milwaukee and Manitowoc Crane Co. in Wisconsin before moving south in the early 1980s. In 1986, he joined Lockheed Martin Corp. and was among the team that helped develop Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in St. Marys, GA – the largest peacetime construction program undertaken by the U.S. Navy. He specifically worked at the base's Strategic Weapons Facility, Atlantic (SWFLANT) command, where he oversaw crane operations serving the Navy's Atlantic Fleet Trident-missile nuclear submarines.
He held patents as inventor of a truck crane with clutch and torque converter controls (1968), a multiple fluid coupling connection mechanism (1969), a decking and undecking apparatus for a truck crane (1970), and a lateral stabilizer for large dual purpose vehicles (1980).
He was also a licensed pilot.
After retirement, he and Karen moved from St. Marys to Coquina Crossing in Elkton, into a home and garage workshop that he custom designed. Even after retirement he remained a consummate handyman – fixing, redesigning and customizing everything from cabinetry and windows to HVAC, electrical and water filtration systems. He served on the board of the neighborhood homeowners' association and was active in the community.
Beyond drafting and engineering, Tom enjoyed talking about science, American history and politics, and drinking a beer or two after supper. He also loved the beach, sunshine, homecooked meals and his favorite treat, chocolate chip cookies.
He is survived by his daughter, Susan Larson; son and daughter-in-law, Mike and Angie Larson of St. Augustine, FL; daughter and son-in-law, Patricia and Steve Guilfoyle of Fort Mill, SC; three grandchildren: J.T. and Gracie Larson and Stephen Guilfoyle; and several nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents and wife, he is preceded in death by two brothers, John Larson and James Larson, and a sister, Marion Coney.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to benefit St. Ambrose Catholic Church's building fund. Mail to: St. Ambrose Catholic Church, 6070 Church Road, Elkton, FL 32033. (Please note "Building Fund in memory of Tom Larson" on the memo line of the check.) Securely online at: www.saintambrose-church.org. (Click on Donations: select "General Contributions" and then "Building Fund/Capital Campaign.").
St. Johns Family Funeral Home of St. Augustine is in charge of the arrangements.
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