Jerald A. Larson

Surrounded by family at his home in Woodbury, Jerald Alan “Buck” Larson passed away after a long illness on April 30, 2026 at the age of 87. Buck grew up in Elk River and graduated from Elk River High School in 1957 and received his undergraduate degree from St. Olaf College in 1961. Buck married his wife Phyllis Mae (Dreissig) Larson in 1961 and moved to Oakland, California to teach and received a Master’s Degree in Education in 1966. Buck, Phyllis and their family moved from California to Bogota, Columbia where he taught at Colegio Nueva Granada. Buck and his family moved back to Mahtomedi, Minnesota where he taught geology at Lakewood Community College from 1968-1999.

Buck was a true a “renaissance man” and had a very broad range of interests in a wide variety of topics and was a willing participant in any adventure. In particular, Buck had a deep intellectual interest about the natural world, how it came about, how it operated and how it was populated.

Buck is survived by his wife, Phyllis, of 64 years and also survived by his three daughters, Elizabeth Callahan (Scott) of White Bear Lake, Minnesota, Katherine Urness (Todd) of Wayzata, Minnesota and Emily Larson of Woodbury, Minnesota. Buck and Phyllis have eight grandchildren: Abigail Anderson (Michael), John Callahan (Laura), Brian Urness, Anna Myers (Cameron), William “Willy” Berzinski, Stephanie Murphy (Kevin) and Benjamin Jerald Berzinski and Matthew Urness. Buck and Phyllis have seven great grandchildren: Ivan Anderson, Eliza Anderson, Emmet Callahan, Wendy Callahan, Estelle Myers, Walter Myers and Maverick Murphy.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, May 16 at O’Halloran & Murphy in Woodbury, Minnesota. Visitation is from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm.

To those closest to Buck remember in particular his enjoyment of his family, nature, fishing at his cabin on Ox Lake in Crosslake, Minnesota.

In lieu of flowers please plant a tree or donate to the American Cancer Society. https://www.cancer.org/donate

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