He was born March 29, 1903 the son of Halvor and Annie Lee Larson in Barron county. He married Eleanor Johnson, Aug. 20, 1942 at Deer Park. He operated a blacksmith shop and manufactured pontoon boats the past several years.
Survivors are his wife, a son Dennis, in the US Army stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.; three daughters, Gail, Rachel and Carolyn, all at home; six brothers, Lawrence, Hersey; Hilmer, Menomonie; Warden, Clear Lake; Morris, New Richmond; George, Osceola; and Daniel, Mpls; two sisters, Mrs. Evar Hillestad, New Richmond; Mrs. Alfred Lee, Mpls.
Mrs. Boyd Frank was the organist, Mrs. Frank and Mrs. Kenneth Barnes presented vocal selections. Visitation was held at the Beebe funeral home Sunday afternoon and evening and one hour at the church before the service.
Interment was in the Calvary cemetery. Casketbearers were George Bos, Orville Frank, Wallace Setter, Ray Anderson, Walter Grant and Sheldon Olson.
Obituary provided courtesy of Helen (Hillestad) Beestman
LARSON'S BLACKSMITH & WELDING SHOP
Clifford Larson came to Deer Park from Forest in 1938. First, he rented the garage building from the Lebeck's. He lived in a small log house which was close to the garage. It burned one cold night in February of 1939. His good friend Bill Breda lived with him and he lost his life in that fire as it is believed he went back inside to get his violin.
Clifford then set up his business north of the Krueger building.
He was a very inventive creative person and was always interested in knowing how things worked. When repair work for farmers was slow, he would work on other things. His most important achievement was building a large sheetmetal brake and a shear. He also built a steam car converted from a 1931 auto. He fired wooden projectiles across the lake from his home-made cannon.
In the late 1950's when farm repair and plow lay work was slow, he built himself a pontoon boat for his personal use. One boat lead to another improved one and later on one was built with retractable wheels.
During the last five years of his life pontoon boats became the main part of his business, replacing farm repair work that had been done the previous twenty years. About 125 pontoon boats were manufactured by him for customers throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota.
In July of 1965, Clifford died on Friday afternoon while putting the finishing touches on a boat due to go out the next day. In late August, his son Dennis reopened the business and "Larson Pontoons" continued to be manufactured for another 4 years.
(Reprinted from page 52 of "HISTORY, Town of Cylon and Village of Deer Park, Wisconsin, 54007" by Sabena Fouks)
