Belva (Gulbranson) Larson

Belva Gulbranson Larson was born on September 1, 1924 to Elling Gulbranson and Sena Andrina (Gorvin) Gulbranson.  She died peacefully at home surrounded by family on December 8 after a long battle with cancer.  She was 95 years old.

Belva was raised on a farm near Bagley, MN.  She went to grade school in Zerkel, MN and high school in Bagley, MN.  On March 3, 1943 she married Gordon Larson in International Falls, MN.  In 1951 Belva and Gordon moved to Mountain Iron, MN where they raised their six children.  In April of 2000 they moved to Virginia, MN where they lived the remainder of their 61 years together.

Belva loved to garden and took great joy in tending to her flowers and watching hummingbirds.  She also loved to sew and quilt, spending countless hours lovingly making quilts for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  When she wasn’t gardening or sewing she was corresponding and visiting with relatives near and far.  She was an avid Minnesota Twins fan and loved to go to parades.

The greatest love in Belva’s life was spending time with her family.  The only thing that made her happier than having her family gathered around her, grandchildren playing at her feet, was showing her love by cooking, baking and feeding her children, grandchildren and anyone else who happened to stop by.  Two phrases often heard by family and friends were, “You need to finish these potatoes or the sun won’t shine tomorrow!” and “If you go away hungry, it’s your own fault!”

She is survived by her children: Gary (Jacalyn) Larson of Lake Vermilion, MN, David (Wendy Schmitz) Larson of New York Mills, MN, Darlene Anderson of Britt, MN, James Larson of Crystal, MN and June (Gary) Berry of Excelsior, MN; grandchildren: Linda, Allen, Justin, Lara, Shannon, Corey, Lauren, Kelly, Eric and Angeline, 14 Great-grandchildren with a 15th arriving in the spring and 5 great-great grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her siblings: Ida, Olga, Alice, Myrtle, Gilbert and George, her husband Gordon, her daughter Margaret Louise Maki and her great-grandson Dragon Stuart Larson.

The memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, December 27, 2019 at the Bauman-Cron Funeral Home, 516 1st St. So., Virginia, MN. A Gathering time for family and friends will begin one hour prior to the service. Pastor Kate Stangl will officiate.  Interment will be at the Greenwood Cemetery in Virginia.

Family services provided by Bauman-Cron, A Bauman Family Funeral Home in Virginia. To share condolences online, please see: www.baumanfuneralhome.com .