Alan Larson, longtime Valley resident and community servant, dies on hunting trip

PALMER — The Matanuska Valley lost one of it’s most community leaders last week when Alan Larson of Palmer died unexpectedly at the age of 64. Larson died Sept. 10 from a probable heart attack while sheep hunting at Victor Creek by Seward.

Alan Leroy Larson was born in Riverton, Wyo., in 1943. The youngest of four children, he was raised in a bustling Midwest farming community along with his sisters Elanor Shin, Eileen Raglan and brother Gary Larson.

Always possessing a talent for mathematics and schooling, Larson attended drafting school in Denver and became a draftsman in the 1960s. He moved to Alaska in 1964 and married Helga Larson in 1970. They resided in Eagle River from 1970 to 1984, when the couple moved to Palmer in 1984 along with their children — Mark Cruthers, Douglas Cruthers, Ronald Cruthers, Brittin Cruthers and Christina Murphy. Larson lost his oldest son, Victor, in a tragic accident more than six years ago.

Larson used his drafting experience and gained employment working for the state doing surveying, platting and soil recognition. He also added general contractor, excavator and broker to the list of his many credits. He is mostly known in the Mat-Su Borough for his work on the Borough tax maps, being the original drafter of this project in the 1970s.

Larson’s wife, Helga, said her husband was active and appreciated member of the community, but was also a quiet man who was not very flashy.

“He was so well-liked,” she said. “He was a kind, gentle giant to everybody he knew. He was a very quiet person, preferring to work behind the lines. He was the wind beneath my wings.”

During his spare time, Alan Larson enjoyed hunting in his early years, always on the prowl for dal sheep, moose and other Alaska wildlife. Helga said as the years passed, he still enjoyed hunting, but more so with his camera.

“He was environmentally aware,” she said.

Alan Larson also enjoyed visiting the cabin he built on Rusch Lake. His free time was spent preparing for and building cabins by the lake, planning a retirement for his wife and him to enjoy. He was also an avid snowmobiler and formed a dedicated group of friends that went out on weekend trips together.

He also played a huge part in the restoration and moving of Palmer’s Colony House, helping to restore it to its 1936 glory. The Colony House stands next to the Colony Inn. For the past four years, Alan Larson served on the Matanuska-Susitna Borough’s Platting Committee, contributing much of his time and energy to a subdivision rules and regulations overhaul in 2005.

Judy Thompson, secretary to the planning director, said Alan Larson worked tirelessly on the platting board to ensure codes and regulations were in place for the fast growing community around him.

“He was very honest and a man with a ;lot of integrity,” Thompson said. “He gave up a lot of time, energy and input because of his expertise with water and sewage.”

Nancy Cameron, a Borough platting technician, also said that when it came to his work, Larson brought a great deal of soils and construction expertise to the table.

“All the board members looked up to him for oversight on soils information and in general,” Cameron said. “He was a wonderful addition. He’s one of those guys who didn’t have to speak to be heard.”

A service honoring Alan Larson’s life held Saturday afternoon and was attended by many of Larson’s immediate family, close friends and colleagues. He was laid to rest at Pioneer Cemetery in Palmer.

Contact J.J. Harrier at 352-2269 or valleylife@frontiersman.com.