John Edward Larson, 78, of Helena, Montana, passed away peacefully on March 8, 2026. Born February 11, 1948, John was a proud man with a strong presence who fiercely loved and protected his family. He guarded the people he held dear with unwavering devotion, and his family always knew they could count on him. In his final chapter, he faced serious illness with the same quiet strength and determination that defined his life.<\/p>\n
John married the love of his life, Karen, on August 16, 1969, in Havre, Montana. Together they built a life centered around love, family, and unwavering commitment to one another. Their 56 years of marriage were a true model to their children and grandchildren of love, dedication, and lifelong commitment.<\/p>\n
John was a proud and devoted father to his three children: Jennifer (Bud) Wasson, Matthew (Darcy) Larson, and Steven Larson. His children were the apple of his eye, and nothing brought him greater joy than his role as Papa to his grandchildren. He cherished his grandchildren\u2014Morgan, Landon, Mia, Layla, and Lafe\u2014and took immense pride in each of them. To John, every milestone, accomplishment, and moment of happiness in his family\u2019s lives was a \u201cBIG DEAL,\u201d a phrase he often used when celebrating the people he loved.<\/p>\n
He was preceded in death by his parents, Albert and Marguerite Larson, and his siblings, Mary and Gerald.<\/p>\n
John is survived by his beloved wife Karen; his children and grandchildren; his brother and confidant James (Mary) Larson; and his lifelong friend Norm Slead and his wife, Vicki.<\/p>\n
John worked for Lorillard Tobacco for many years. His career allowed him to travel, but his greatest joy was always found with his family. Before illness limited his ability to travel, he especially loved extended summer camping trips and spending time outdoors with those he loved most.<\/p>\n
John was his children\u2019s biggest champion and supporter. He was a devoted husband who loved his wife more than life itself, a proud father, and a deeply cherished grandfather. Being \u201cPapa\u201d was one of the roles he treasured most, and his grandchildren brought him endless pride and happiness. His legacy lives on in the love of the family he built and in the reminder that life\u2019s most meaningful moments\u2014big or small\u2014are truly a big deal.<\/p>\n
A viewing for family and friends will be held Wednesday, March 11, 2026, from 2:00\u20134:00 PM at Anderson Stevenson Wilke & Retz Funeral Home & Crematory, 3750 North Montana Avenue, Helena, Montana.<\/p>\n
A celebration of life will be held this summer, with details to be shared with family and friends at a later time.<\/p>\n
He will be deeply missed, forever loved, and always remembered. He was a BIG DEAL.<\/p>\n","photo":"https:\/\/helenafuneralhome.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Larson-John.jpeg","youtube_video_url":"","service_status":"public","event_title1":"Visitation","event_date1":"2026-03-11","start_time1":"2:00pm","end_time1":"4:00pm","location1":"Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home","address1":"3750 N Montana Ave.","city1":"Helena","state1":"Montana","zipcode1":"59602","event_title2":"","event_date2":"","start_time2":"","end_time2":"","location2":"","address2":"","city2":"","state2":"","zipcode2":"","event_title3":"","event_date3":"","start_time3":"","end_time3":"","location3":"","address3":"","city3":"","state3":"","zipcode3":"","event_title4":"","event_date4":"","start_time4":"","end_time4":"","location4":"","address4":"","city4":"","state4":"","zipcode4":"","event_title5":"","event_date5":"","start_time5":"","end_time5":"","location5":"","address5":"","city5":"","state5":"","zipcode5":"","event_title6":"","event_date":"","start_time6":"","end_time6":"","location6":"","address6":"","city6":"","state6":"","zipcode6":"","event_title7":"","event_date7":"","start_time7":"","end_time7":"","location7":"","address7":"","city7":"","state7":"","zipcode7":"","event_title8":"","event_date8":"","start_time8":"","end_time8":"","location8":"","address8":"","city8":"","state8":"","zipcode8":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/helenafuneralhome.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/case\/32774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/helenafuneralhome.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/case"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/helenafuneralhome.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/case"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/helenafuneralhome.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32774"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/helenafuneralhome.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}