Obit: Larkin, Josephine Cornelia (1916 – 2009)

Contact: Dolores

Surnames: Larkin, Johnson, Anderson, Herzberg, Vinger, Heuer, Bakken

----Source: Banner Journal (Black River Falls, Jackson Co., WI.) October 14, 2009

Larkin, Josephine Cornelia (7 October 1916 – 6 October 2009)

Josephine C. “Jo” Larkin, 92, of Black River Falls, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009, at the Family Heritage Care Center, where she had resided for the past four years.

Josephine Cornelia Anderson was born Oct. 7, 1916, in rural Melrose to Albert and Minnie (Johnson) Anderson.  She was raised on the family farm in Shake Hollow, attended the Grinde School and graduated from the Melrose High School in 1934. Following her high school graduation, Jo entered the Teacher Training Program at the Union School in Black River Falls.  After completion of that training, Jo’s first teaching assignment was at Spring Creek School in rural Black River Falls.  She later received her Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Wisconsin—La Crosse.

She married Julian O. Larkin in Waukon, IA, March 4, 1939.  The couple first lived on the Larkin family farm for 15 years before moving to Black River Falls in 1955.  At that time, Julian had been elected as Jackson County Sheriff.  He served in that position and other law enforcement jobs until his retirement in 1975.

Jo will be remembered by many people in the county since she taught school for 44 years.  She taught rural school for 10 years, taught first and second grades in Melrose for 10 years and spent 24 years as first-grade teacher in Black River Falls.  Teaching was her life. She loved her job and the children she taught. To her, nothing was as satisfying as teaching a child to read.

Jo retired in June of 1985. She continued active memberships in Alpha Kappa Gamma, Home Life Women’s Club, Sons of Norway and her church – Evangelical Lutheran Church of Black River Falls.  She also had been a volunteer at Pine View Care Center. She loved her family and treasured the times spent with them.

She enjoyed reading, handcrafts, watching ESPN news and politics, playing the piano and organ and history.  She also served as her church’s historian and the historian of the Women of Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Josephine is survived by her son, Everett (Alice) Larkin of Black River Falls; two grandchildren, Dr. Elizabeth (Troy) Herzberg of Melrose and William (Katie) Larkin of Black River Falls; four great-grandchildren, Zachary Herzberg, Emily Herzberg, Noah Larkin and Eric Herzberg; and a few cousins, nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Julian, in 1996; her parents; and two sisters, Norma Vinger of Melrose and Mae Heuer of Sparta.

Funeral services were held at 11 a.m. Friday, Oct. 9, 2009, at Evangelical Lutheran Church, and burial followed in Riverside Cemetery, both in Black River Falls.  Reverend Eric Bakken officiated. Family and friends were invited for visitation from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday at the Buswell Funeral Home, Black River Falls, and at the church Friday from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.

Memorials may be given to either the Family Heritage Care Center Gazebo Fund or the Black River Falls Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Online condolences are available at: www.buswellfuneralhome.com.

The family wishes to extend its thanks and sincere gratitude to Dr. Gary Petersen and the employees of the Family Heritage Care Center for the wonderful care given to Jo.