Obituaries
Deanna Larson, a resident of Erie, Pennsylvania, for 55 years, passed away on July 30th at the age of 83 at Aegis Living Kirkland Waterfront in Washington state. Born April 9, 1942, in Livingston, Montana, to Herbert and Dorothy (Long) Gilbert, Deanna grew up in the town of Wilsall, Montana, and loved the outdoors and mountain scenery that was her home for the first fourteen years of her life. Later, she moved to Vancouver, Washington, with her family and attended Hudson Bay High School, graduating at the top of her class. Deanna met her husband, Ron Larson, at the ripe age of sixteen through their church and they were married in 1960. After having given birth to Tim in Vancouver, Washington, in 1962 and adopting Jill in Boulder, Colorado, in 1967, while Ron received his Ph.D. from the University of Colorado, they moved their family to Erie, Pennsylvania, in 1970 where Ron accepted a teaching position at Penn State Behrend, and where Deanna attended college.
Over the years, Deanna and Ron complemented each other nicely and always worked together, first as the owners and operators of Larson’s Custom Quilting, and later as the founders of Larson Texts, an educational publishing company. Together with their children, Tim Larson and Jill Larson Im, they founded Big Ideas Learning.
Deanna served many roles in the company but was always a strong presence on the Board of Directors, serving as Secretary of the Corporation. She typeset and proofread every first edition from high school through college and read every first edition of kindergarten through eighth grade.
Deanna also founded and managed Norcross Land Management—the company that built and owns the Larson Texts/Big Ideas Learning Erie campus. Her vision for creating a beautiful work environment is an inspiration to all who work there. Notably, she loved the on-campus gardens, footbridge, and wooded nature trails that she helped design.
Deanna was energetic and intellectually curious. She loved to garden, cook international cuisines, connect with friends and family, read books, especially historical fiction, travel the world, and play the piano, which she did for Calvary Covenant Church for twelve years. She also had a passion for genealogy and authored several family history books. Her favorite place to frequent was always the rugged mountains above Clyde Park, where she enjoyed connecting with her close relatives and friends, always treasuring the beauty of Big Sky Country.
Deanna was a wonderful and loving grandmother who was proud of her grandchildren: Caitlin Larson Mattis, Carly Larson, Conrad Im, Hudson Im, Sophia Im, and her two great-grandchildren: Cassie Mattis and Miles Mattis. She is also survived by her children: Timothy Larson (Mary) and Jill Larson Im (Edward) and by her stepbrother Todd Smith (Dee). She was a generous and humble woman who exuded poise, grace, and kindness always. Her quiet strength, resilience, and love formed the foundation of the Larson family and will be sorely missed.
Deanna Larson is preceded in death by her father, Herbert Gilbert, mother, Dorothy (Long) Gilbert Smith, stepfather, Gordon Smith, sister, Janice (Gilbert) McGee, brother-in-law, Dennis McGee, and by her grandson, Timothy Larson II.
She will be laid to rest on Saturday, August 9th, at Wintergreen Gorge Cemetery. A Celebration of Life will be arranged at a later date.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Burton Quinn Scott Cremation & Funeral Services Inc., Wintergreen, 2532 Norcross Rd., Erie, PA 16510.