Janice Larson

Janice Kay Larson, age 72, of Watertown, SD, passed away on Saturday, October 30, 2021, at her residence. A visitation will be held at Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel on Wednesday, November 3, 2021, from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. with a Scripture Wake Service at 2:00 p.m.

There will be a private graveside burial at St. Mary’s Cemetery. Active pallbearers are: John Larson, Chris Wieber, Ron Thorson, Paul Peterson, Jeremy Bjerke and Dusty Davenport.

Janice was born on February 11, 1949, to Vern and Dolores Jane (O’Toole) Thorson, in Watertown, SD. She attended grade school at Gill #10 country school in Fuller Township. She was a 1967 graduate of Watertown High School, and then attended SDSU (Pierson Hall). She worked in her parents' Fabric and Bridal Shop from high school until opening her own store, Jandee’s Fabric and Bridal in Brookings, SD, in 1973. Janice moved to Washington State and started her insurance career. She spent several years working for J. Dorr Fobes Agency, which she always stated was the best job and boss she ever had. In 1997 she moved back to South Dakota to care for her ailing mother and worked at Watertown Agency and Stoudt’s Insurance as a customer service agent, where she retired in 2013.

On July 26, 2014, Janice married the love of her life, Glenn Larson. Together their combined family kept them busy. Glenn’s family welcomed her with much love and fun. Family get-togethers were so much fun for all. She was the family food pusher.  We always looked forward to her holiday baking marathon, peanut brittle to cutout cookies.  Sweets were her favorites. Along with going to car shows and shopping for fabric, Glenn had his Plymouth cars to work on and Jan took up quilting as her retirement hobby. She made lap quilts for all of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, 33 in all. The love of fabrics gave her a quilting stash that would take two life times to use. Both Glenn and Jan loved to have family at one of their homes for the holidays. She enjoyed her weekly afternoon visits with Marilyn Peterson, one of the “Quilting Cousins.”  COPD slowed her down but her mind would still sew and design the next quilt in her head. She loved going for rides in the old cars or having one at a car show or in a parade. Jan was so proud of Glenn on the restoration he did on the 1952 MG.

Janice is survived by her husband, Glenn, of Watertown, SD; her daughter, Stephanie Schaefer and her cherished granddaughter Paige Schaefer; her son Nicholas Horvath, all of Watertown, SD; she embraced and loved Glenn’s  family as her own; Laura (Chris) Wieber and John (Andrea) Larson, both of Watertown, SD; sisters-in-law, Selina Thorson of Lake City, SD, Lorranie (Lowell) Knutson of Britton, SD, Patty (David) Jacobson of Foreman, ND, Evangelina (Sherman) Vold of Britton, SD, and Betty (Fred) Hoffman of Lakeview, IA; and brothers-in-law, Bruce (Geri) Larson of Andover, MN and Larry Hinman of Lake City, SD; many grandchildren and cousins who she adored. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, Larry; step-children, Ted Davenport, Terry Pierson and Joi Carrica; and in-laws, Leroy Larson, Harold Larson, Timmy Larson and Rosella Hinman.

Arrangements by Crawford-Osthus Funeral Chapel    www.crawfordosthus.com

Watertown, Hayti, De Smet, Bryant

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