David Larson

David Manuel Larson, 72, passed away on Thursday, November 20, 2025, at CentraCare Hospital in St. Cloud, MN, surrounded by family and friends, after a long struggle with pulmonary fibrosis.

Dave was born on October 5, 1953 in Virginia, Minnesota, to Gordon Larson and Belva (Gulbranson) Larson. He was raised and educated in Mountain Iron, MN and later lived in Wadena, Perham, and finally New York Mills. After graduating from Mountain Iron High School, he served in the U.S. Army from 1971 to 1973 along with his best friend Dave Desoto. After his service, he returned to the Iron Range and worked in the mines with Mintac, later building pipelines and doing other construction work throughout the state of Minnesota. After an on the job injury, Dave then worked at Bell Hill Recovery Center in Wadena, MN until his retirement in 2023. Dave loved the Bell Hill community and took great joy in his work there.

Dave was silly, funny, kind, and liked to do things his own way. He loved being outside, working in the yard, and puttering around with his tractor, digger, power tools or anything else particularly destructive. To his grandchildren, he was Papa. Papa believed kids should learn to drive tractors and use dangerous tools far earlier than most people would recommend. He once bought them a blowtorch. He woke them up for midnight snacks and taught them how to play the lottery early and often. He encouraged trouble and loved every minute of it. Mornings for Dave often started with The Price is Right and checking his dream book to see what last night’s dreams meant. He liked long phone calls with his friends and relatives, but only until he decided he was done. Then he ended every call with a quick ‘OK bye’ and hung up immediately. He was a true mama’s boy. While his mother was living, he called her every Sunday and nothing was more important than his call to his mother. His family takes comfort in the thought of him now being reunited with Belva.

David had a gift for bringing friends and family together. He will be deeply missed by his wife, Wendy Schmitz, who cared for him with quiet dedication in the last years of his life. He is survived by his children: Shannon Schmitz of Fergus Falls, MN and Corey Schmitz (Jennifer Nelson) of St. Paul, MN. He is also survived by his beloved grandsons, Jaxson Schmitz and Cyrus Nelson-Schmitz along with his siblings, James Larson of Minneapolis, MN, Gary (Jackie) Larson, of Tower, MN, Darlene (Don) Larson of Britt, MN, and June (Gary) Berry of Shorewood, MN, as well as many nieces and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his parents, sister Peggy (Butch), his sister-in-law Donna Larson, and brother-in-law Alan Anderson.

A celebration of life will be held in the new year, the date and location to be announced. In honor of David, the family suggests buying a scratch-off lottery ticket and thinking of him.

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