Richard H. "Dick" Larson

Richard H. “Dick” Larson passed away peacefully at his home in Henderson, Colorado, on July 29, 2025. He was born on October 23, 1941, in Denver, Colorado, to Irvin and Mary Larson.

Dick is survived by his children: Richard E. (Denise), James (Melanie), Teresa (Michael) Krieger, Monica (Victor) Domenico, and Katrina (Tim) Cassady. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Stephanie (Scott), Kyle (Jessica), Becky, Kevin (Raylene), Sam (Kaitlyn), Tyler (Ashley), Kristina, Kalina, Frances (Jonathan), Harlan, Luke, Kailey, Claudia (Brandon), Kolten, Bernadette, Marina, Mackenzie, Paolo, Benjamin, Lauren, Nathan, and Joel, as well as 14 great- grandchildren. He leaves behind numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family, and dear friends.

He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Juanita “Toots,” his son Mark, his sister Rosemary “Cookie,” and his brother Arthur.

At the age of eight, Dick’s family moved to a farm in Henderson, Colorado, where he would spend the next 75 years farming and ranching. He graduated from Adams City High School in 1959. After high school, he worked in the Safeway warehouse, helped build warehouses at Stapleton by carrying mortar and bricks, and later worked at the Eastlake Elevator and the Grain Exchange.

Dick met the love of his life, Juanita “Toots” Kaus, while square dancing in Eastlake. During their courtship, they enjoyed attending live music performances. They were married on June 10, 1961, and together built a life centered around faith, family, and hard work on the farm while raising six children. Dick farmed in the summers and worked construction in the winters—first for Art Eppinger Construction and later for Kemp & Hoffman Construction, where he remained until retiring in 2010.

Despite his full workload, Dick always made time for what mattered most—his family and the farming community. He especially cherished the annual hunting trips with his sons, nephews, and cousins from South Dakota.

Dick and Toots enjoyed traveling abroad with family and friends, visiting places such as Alaska, Hawaii, Italy, Greece, Spain, and Israel. One of the highlights of their travels was renewing their wedding vows in Cana, Israel.

In retirement, Dick continued to farm with his sons, traveled with Toots, remained an active and long-standing board member of the Colorado Agricultural Ditch Company, and enjoyed weekly coffee gatherings with friends. In 2020, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award for excellence in construction from the Mile High Flood District.

Throughout his life, Dick was a shining example of dedication—to God, to his family, and to his work. His legacy of love, faith, and hard work will remain in the hearts of all who knew him. He will be deeply missed.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Assumption Church.