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Diane Larson

November 2, 1977 - January 25, 2014
Snoqualmie, WA

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Visitation

Monday, February 3, 2014
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM EST
Clock Life Story Funeral Homes
Muskegon Location
1469 Peck St.
Muskegon, MI 49441
(231) 722-3721
Driving Directions

Visitation

Tuesday, February 4, 2014
2:00 PM to 4:00 PM EST
Clock Life Story Funeral Homes
Muskegon Location
1469 Peck St.
Muskegon, MI 49441
(231) 722-3721
Driving Directions

Service

Tuesday, February 4, 2014
6:00 PM EST
Central Assembly of God Church
896 Home Street
Muskegon, MI 49442
(231) 777-3938
Web Site

Contributions


At the family's request memorial contributions are to be made to those listed below. Please forward payment directly to the memorial of your choice.

Galena Bible Church
PO Box 147
Galena, AK 99741
(907) 656-1629

Life Story / Obituary


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Diane Marie Larson was an amazing woman, thanks to the goodness of God. To name just a few of her qualities is to shortchange the way her family and friends feel about her. Yet these descriptors are an attempt to portray the person they love and honor.

Diane was vibrant, giving, thoughtful, selfless, adventurous, intelligent, and sentimental. She was a dynamic force and a perpetual whirl of motion, all in pursuit of the common good. Her enthusiasm for life was evident in her work and personal life.

Remarkably, Diane was unaware of how beautiful she was inside and out, and her humility in that fact made her all the more endearing. God blessed Diane with many attributes and she used her gifts to serve others, create a culture of change and to spread God’s love.

Diane Marie was born in Muskegon, Michigan on November 2, 1977 to Joseph and Darlene (DeRouin) Larson. Her mother was a phlebotomist and her father worked as a foreman in the tool and die industry. A day prior to Diane’s birth, Joseph had started a new job approximately 60 miles from home. In his eagerness to be present for the birth, Joe was driving fast (“allegedly” going over 80 in a 55mph zone) and, consequently, he was stopped by police. Apologetic, yet in a hurry, Joe politely offered his license and whatever other documentation he could in an effort to appease the officer. He explained his situation and then said, “I’ve got to go! Can you just mail me the ticket?” Thankfully, the officer kindly told him to “try to keep it under 55” and then let him go. Joe made it home in time for the delivery of his precious daughter. Diane joined brother Jody, and later welcomed Jonathan and Sarah. The siblings were always very close and remained so into adulthood.

The Larson children grew up secure in the love of their close-knit family and church community. They participated in many faith-based activities and family events. Memories were made at such gatherings as Fourth of July “up north,” Christmas Eve at Grandma Sprague’s, Christmas cookie Easter egg decorating competitions, “Bird on the 23rd”, and high stakes family board games (spoons, PIT, Euchre, Cranium to name a few).

Also as a family, the Larsons participated in many adventure and sporting activities: backyard kickball, baseball, softball (Dad coached Mom and daughters on the church team) and basketball. When she was young, she participated in dance and gymnastics classes. During high school, she discovered a love for snowboarding and later snowshoeing. She and her siblings had always played outdoors whether riding their bikes or hiking, waterskiing, kayaking, boating and tubing on family trips Up North. Together they traveled to Chicago (a special place for Diane), Niagara Falls, Florida’s Sea World and a chance to swim with the dolphins. Over the years, Diane’s love of travel sent her through most every state as well as to India and Europe.

Growing up, in Muskegon, Diane lived on Manz Street. She attended a private school, Calvary Academy, prior to transferring to Orchard View in the 6th grade when the family moved to the Orchard View district in 1986. A very bright and eager student, Diane earned excellent grades, and in high school, she won multiple academic scholarships and public service awards. She was a member of the National Honors Society and elected by her peers to the Student Council, Vice President of her class and Homecoming Queen her senior year. She participated in Close Up in both Washington D.C. and Hawaii. Diane was a beloved member of her class and graduated with honors from Orchard View High School in 1996.

Also during high school, Diane was active in music, sports, and drama. She played saxophone in the band and was on the softball, basketball and tennis teams. She was even known to help out at football games by being the Cardinal mascot.

Diane was blessed with an exceptional ability to make quick and lasting friendships. Diane was a natural leader and an eloquent public speaker. She was involved in many committees and clubs that she often led. As an undergraduate, she studied at North Central University (Minneapolis, Minnesota) in Urban Ministries and then earned a Master’s Degree at Northwestern University (Seattle, Washington) in International Care and Community Development.

Diane was a champion of compassion ministry and worked for several years with urban church plants in St. Paul, Chicago and New York. When she moved to Alaska to serve as a counselor for the Galena Interior Learning Academy from 2005 to 2010, she was in her element working with at-risk youth. Moving to the Northwest to pursue a graduate degree, she worked with mentally disabled adults at Transitions in Bellevue, Washington. Diane was licensed in 2002, ordained in 2011 with the Assemblies of God Church and was part of the Northwest Ministry Network Support Staff family since January 2013. She was published in Assemblies of God World Mission: Compassion Link (An International Journal of Theory and Practice in Compassion Ministries).

With conviction and constancy, Diane invested many hours with disadvantaged people living in poverty. Most recently, she served with the Genesis Project in Seattle, Valley Renewal Center in Snoqualmie and Mary's Place in Seattle.

Gratefully, Diane’s grandparents and other family members were eager to support her ministry. She was close to both sets of grandparents and, in her brief visits back home, Diane made sure she spent as much time as she could with them and each family member. She adored her siblings, whom she counted in her closest circle of friends, and she regarded their spouses as her sisters and brothers (no “in-law” designation needed). Their children made her heart throb, and she thrilled at the birth of each of her nephews and nieces. Diane was a dearly loved daughter, sister, granddaughter, aunt, friend and child of God.

Diane’s closest relationship was always with the Lord. Her life’s work was in service to God, and she actively participated in the life of His church. Since childhood, she attended Central Assembly of God, her church in Muskegon; St. Paul City Church in Minnesota; Galena Bible Church in Alaska, and lastly as a member of Eastridge Church in Issaquah, Washington. Whether in her career or as a volunteer, Diane lived a life that significantly influenced others as she served the God she loved.

Miss Diane M. Larson, age 36, passed away Saturday, January 25, 2014 while on a hiking trip in Washington. Her beloved family includes her parents, Joe and Darlene Larson; brothers, Jody Larson, Jonathan (Marla) Larson; sister, Sarah (Robert) Schofield all of Muskegon; grandmothers, Rose DeRouin of Muskegon, Doloris and Lester Sprague of Muskegon; nieces and nephews, Jaeger, Brynnlie, Jonathan Jr., Charlet, Reegan, Jax, Jace and Jaren; many aunts, uncles and cousins. She was preceded in death by her grandfathers, George DeRouin and Julius Larson.

A service to celebrate Diane’s life will be held Tuesday February 4, 2014, 6:00 PM at Central Assembly of God Church with Rev. Doug Hill officiating. Interment at Sunrise Memorial Gardens.Visitation on Monday 6:00-8:00 PM and Tuesday 2:00-4:00 PM at Clock Funeral Home-Muskegon. Donations in Diane's name may be given to Galena Bible Church, PO Box 147, Galena, AK 99741. Please visit www.clockfuneralhome.com to leave a memory or sign the online guest book.

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