Larry Larsen, 83, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, passed away on August 12, 2026, following a short stay at Riverview Healthcare in Flandreau, South Dakota. He was born on March 24, 1943, to Murnel and Opal Larsen of Viborg, South Dakota.

Larry married Shirley Smith on October 21, 1962, at Bethany Lutheran Church in Hurley, South Dakota. Together, Larry and Shirley shared more than 63 years of marriage and built a life and family filled with love, laughter, and countless memories.

Larry is survived by his wife, Shirley Larsen; his sons, Scott (Roxann) Larsen and Eric Larsen, both of Sioux Falls; his grandchildren, Autumn Larsen of Rapid City, Raena Bader (Gage), Ryder Larsen and his great-granddaughter, Briar all of Sioux Falls.

He is also survived by his twin sister, Betty Larsen of Miami, Florida, and his brother, Dennis (Nancy) Larsen of Redding, California and host of beloved cousins, nieces and nephews.

At the age of 19, Larry began working at John Morrell and Company in 1962. He remained with the company for 57 years before retiring in 2019. His long career reflected the strong work ethic and dedication that were an important part of his life.

Larry was a sports lover from an early age and played several sports in high school. He was an avid hunter and fisherman and enjoyed playing softball during his younger years. In later life, golfing became one of his favorite pastimes, and he spent many hours enjoying the course with friends and family. He also enjoyed attending sporting events with his sons from time to time.

Some of Larry’s favorite memories came from fall pheasant hunting trips to the family farm. Those trips were about more than hunting—they were opportunities to spend time with family and continue traditions. After a day in the field, Larry enjoyed finishing the evening watching the World Series with his sons and parents.

In his later years, Larry also enjoyed the sports card hobby, sharing his interest with his sons and setting up his collectibles at the flea market. He enjoyed the hobby, but even more, he enjoyed the time it gave him to spend with his sons.

Larry was always fun to be around. He had a good wit, loved to tease, and enjoyed making people laugh. He especially loved his time with his golfing buddies and his sons. His teasing and sense of humor were a big part of what made him Larry, and his family will miss that greatly.

Larry never placed much importance on his appearance, either. In the 1980s, he found a discarded nylon, powder-blue coat with the name “Barb” on the front. Despite the constant razzing from his sons, Larry liked the coat and wore it anyway. He wasn’t particularly concerned about what anyone else thought—if he liked it, that was good enough.

Another family story came from a hunting trip sometime in the 1980s, when his son Eric shot Larry in the backside with a BB gun. It wasn’t funny at the time, but thankfully for Eric, the passage of years turned the incident into a story the family could laugh about.

Those stories capture Larry’s personality: hardworking, independent, good-natured, and never too concerned about taking himself seriously. He loved life, loved his family, and had a knack for finding humor in everyday moments.

Larry leaves behind a lifetime of memories—of family gatherings, hunting trips, sporting events, golf games, flea-market weekends, teasing, laughter, and time spent with the people he loved. His greatest legacy is the family he built and the stories that will continue to be told for generations.

Larry will be deeply missed by Shirley, his sons, grandchildren, great-granddaughter, twin sister, brother, extended family, friends, golfing buddies, and all who had the privilege of knowing him.

Funeral services for Larry will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 20, 2026, at Miller Funeral Home in downtown Sioux Falls. Coffee and cookies will be provided following the service.

To view live stream service, please use link here Larry Larsen Live Stream

In remembering Larry, his family hopes you remember his quick wit, his love of sports and the outdoors, his willingness to tease, and most of all, the laughter and memories he gave to the people around him.