Paul H. Larson age 58 of Redwood Falls, formerly of Franklin, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, March 24, 2011 at his home.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday at the Redwood Valley Funeral Home in Redwood Falls.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to services on Friday. Interment is in Franklin Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Friends of the Park or Friends of the Animal Shelter.  Stephens Funeral Service – Redwood Valley Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.

Paul Larson was born July 10, 1952 to Silas and Betty Jane (Taylor) Larson in Harriman, TN.  Betty Jane died while Paul was still an infant, and Silas moved the family to his hometown of Franklin, MN.  Helping to raise Paul were his grandmother, Olga (Art) Larson, and later his stepmother Fay Larson.  Paul was confirmed at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Franklin in 1967.  He graduated from Franklin High School in 1970, and attended St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN for two years.  He then worked for Minnesota Valley Telephone Company in Franklin for the next thirty years.  He learned all facets of the business, eventually becoming manager and greatly enjoyed the field of telecommunications.  In addition he was a farmland owner which began as a partnership with his father in Larson Farms and was expanded upon by Paul.  He took great interest in the care and conservation of his land and enjoyed developing wildlife refuge areas around the property.  On September 18, 1981 he married Vickie Lickfett in Stewart, MN.  They moved to a farm in North Redwood and became members of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Redwood Falls.  Three children were born to them.  Later, they were divorced.  Paul had a very wide range of interests.  He loved to read, and was always eager to talk about what amazed him in his latest books.  History was a favorite topic, especially local history, which recently widened to include all of southwestern Minnesota.  For many years he enjoyed learning about trains and the railroad systems of the upper Midwest.  He also had a lifelong interest in the history of coins and collecting as well as photography.  He had feeders for the wild birds, and enjoyed raising many varieties of chickens, ducks, and geese.  When he lived in Franklin, Paul was a member of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church and the Franklin Lion’s Club.  Later, he served on the board for Franklin State Bank.

Paul is survived by his three children: Kyle of Minneapolis, Ian and Brenna, both of Redwood Falls; two sisters: Ann (Ron) Bolinger of Pine Island, MN and Kathryn (Gordon Flett) Larson of Reno, NV; two nieces and one nephew: Erin Bolinger (Josh Lenius) of Waterloo, IA, Elizabeth Bolinger of Athens, OH, and Ethan Bolinger of Incline Village, NV; and three aunts: Alvera Colvin of rural Redwood Falls, Jean (Roald) Haugan of Redwood Falls, and Laura Ann (Ed) Rutland of Texarkana, TX.  He is preceded in death by his mother, father, and stepmother.