William M. Larson
October 1, 1953 - June 12, 2016

"Roger Kanies sent me the nicest card and I wanted to post. March 9 would have been our 42 anniversary and I'm doing fine but it is an education. Roger wrote: "Dear Diane, Doug Cobb told me of William's passing awhile back and you have been in my thoughts often. I will always remember William for his focused dedication. The image of him covered in flour dust in the parking lot of the Wisconsin Farm comes to mind. We worked together on The Tennessee Farm on the photo voltaic project in Muscle Shoals. He was quiet but a man of integrity. William was serious but had a gentle smile. You are both in our thoughts and prayers. Love, Roger and Judith Kanies "

"Thursday, November 24, 2016 Happy Thanksgiving and Holiday Greetings to my family and friends. My first Thanksgiving without William, his favorite holiday, and I am adjusting. I get good advice: socialize and exercise. I've ordered storm resistant windows to be installed in December so I don't need to worry about getting blown away every time we get a hurricane warning. I plan to attach a big ribbon tied into a bow up on the roof top and say, "Merry Christmas house." Marilyn and Jeff Keating invited Claire and me to Thanksgiving lunch and it was perfect. I rode my bike there and back and then drove to work. I put my uniform top on at the red light. I tried to talk to everyone in Chicago and beyond this week and found that today is a big day with the in-laws. Joan drove to Chicago and is celebrating with Maggie, her mother-in-law, Kathy and family with her sister-in-law Liz and Iris and family with her mother-in-law Sue, in Connecticut. Kevin texted me from Death Valley, he and Amanda are taking their Southwestern Desert Tour. I talked to Axa, my nephew, Joan's son. He is living in a teepee in Tucson, Arizona. How exciting. George is celebrating with our brother John and sister-in-law Diane. We had a fun conversation about life in Chicago and the Cubs as World Champions. He watched the games until the last out, no easy task, a long seven game series, full of drama and trauma. I managed to celebrate this year, in between the heartbreak, and travelled to Chicago. My nephew Joe, Kathy's son, was my concert buddy at Wrigley Field for two Phish shows. I visited Denver for the 1st time and paid homage to mountain majesty at Rocky Mountain State Park with my best travelling buddy Ray. Ray's son Troy joined us and we went to three Phish shows in Denver. That was quite an adventure. I am not used to the altitude. My sister Joan visited us twice to help me get through William's illness. Like Axa says, everyone wants Joan. George says Joan is a traveler. William's sisters Mary and Nancy visited while William was still conversational so that was good. My brother John is tremendous support and visited after the funeral because he said that's when I would need him. He is a smart man. Kevin visited twice this year to be with William who became so sick and Iris flew in twice as well and we planned for a wonderful celebration of William's life after he died. Kevin and Amanda flew in and Iris and her family joined us in Florida and it was grand. My sister Kathy and her husband Joe flew in and William's mother Eileen and sister Janice came for the 2nd time. It was good to see William's brother Bob. So many of William's friends came to the house. He was honored by our Farm Family, our birth families from Chicago, his family of caregivers, and our work families. Memorial Healthcare System was well represented, as was Minolta Business Systems. Kevin said I've never seen this many people in the house and it was true. Thanks to my outstanding team of caregivers, the celebration was a huge success and I didn't even have party anxiety. To continue in the spirit of honoring the life of a good man and giving back to the community that gave so much to us, I have established the William Michael Larson Aviation Scholarship at Broward College. Anyone who wants to contribute is welcome. I write my checks to Broward College Foundation and in the memo line I write William M. Larson Aviation Scholarship. Contributions can also be made online. More information on that after I get a new computer. I mail my contributions to: Office of Advancement 111 E. Las Olas Blvd., 11th Floor Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301 Love, Diane "

"August 18, 2016 Dear Diane, This is a quick response to tell you we received the Memorial Book and to thank you very much. It is so lovely. I feel I will never catch up to all the details of life that must be taken care of. The Memorial Mass on 7-30-2016 was beautiful. Everything went as planned. Janice did the eulogy for her big brother. We had lunch at a nearby restaurant. We stopped at the cemetery on the way home to leave the bouquet of flowers on the grave. We photographed it on Janice's camera phone. She sent it to you. When the headstone is engraved in 8-10 weeks we will photograph it and sent it to you and Iris and Kevin. It is located nearby our grave sites [Bill & I]. I continue to receive Memorial cards in William's name. Most older neighbors still call him Billy Larson. It is amazing to me that the death of one person affects so many lives. His older cousins especially since he is the 1st of all the cousins on my side of the family to die. They still call him Billy as well. The oldest is 69. About the photograph on the Remembrance Card, I flipped through my old photo albums looking for a current smiling face and there it was, at age 51 in 2004. Everybody wanted me to have things done now. The photo on the Mass Program was his high school graduation picture. We, his parents, liked it, our handsome son. I still can't believe he's dead. These past 2 months were so busy with things that had to be done, and now I have time to think and mourn him. I will stay in touch, I promise. I tried to thank you in the Prayers of the Faithful section of the mass program. I am sending you the original photo used or the Remembrance Card. Love, Eileen "

"When William got sick he became my teacher and I rose to the occasion because his love enabled me. I'm a problem solver, and early onset Alzheimer's cannot be solved William said I feel like I'm disappearing and I became his memory. William said if I give you a million dollars, can you fix my brain? Western medicine says nothing can be done. Don't tell me that. So William got treatments from Doctor Claire once a week and she always made him feel better. One day he saw me crying and when I told him I was hurting he said you need Dr. Claire. Always listen to your teacher. Doctor Claire then treated us both once a week and she made us both feel better. Iris and Kevin hired a nurse to be My Care Manager, she said we need to find a caregiver whom William will accept. Iris found Damien's agency and Damien said, Viola, you need to take this one. William and I both recognize kindness and intelligence and we recognized Viola. Like William says, she's a good one. I don't want to be alone, he said. Don't worry I told him, Viola and I will take turns, and so it was. William became quite ill in January. Every therapy he received in the hospital made him worse, and he received VIP treatment. My sister Joan, hospice social worker, accountant and family counselor, was there with me. William's case manager tried to help. Laurie sent in a hospice representative to talk to us, hospice? I looked at Joan, she nodded. Viola said you bring him home, I'll bring him back, So hospice arranged our return to 49th Street in Cooper City. For 13 weeks we kept William home. We laughed and cried, danced and sang, we fought and made up, sometimes we stayed up all night. I told William it's your party, there's a bunch of cars in the driveway, join in if you want to. When I could no longer manage, William moved to Sara's House in Oakland Park, Viola's place. His team was with him, Patricia, Viola, Jennifer, Miss Myrtle. He was mad, I was sad, we do the best we can, we always have. For seven weeks he enjoyed old Florida, Dixie Highway train whistles, the airshow, the palm trees, the birds, the iguanas. When he could no longer swallow, I moved into Sara's House. Kevin flew in, and William learned how not to be afraid. He died peacefully on Sunday night, June 12, surrounded by family and those who cared for him. Diane Larson Sunday, June 12, 2016 10:50 PM "

"My best to you Diane, so sorry to hear William passed. I had no idea when thinking of you as a band played Grateful Dead tunes in the dome on Fourth of July weekend."

"My best to you Diane, so sorry to hear William passed. I had no idea when thinking of you as a band played Grateful Dead tunes in the dome on Fourth of July weekend."

"My best to you Diane, so sorry to hear William passed. I had no idea when thinking of you as a band played Grateful Dead tunes in the dome on Fourth of July weekend."

"He was so young! Though we haven't related much through the years, I've always felt a strong bond with you guys from being the folks you landed with when you arrived at "the longest-running craps game in town." I'm sorry to know that I'll never hang out with William again, or at least not in these forms. Best wishes to you at this time of transition."

"Sorry for your loss. I knew Willie from the Solar Energy Works crew building and remodeling in Nashville. A very cool guy. Nice to see this picture and read the story."

"Thank you for your kind words David, it helps, especially since I know you understand loss. I experience the moment with a sharp edge now, and even though it often hurts, I certainly prefer sharp to dull. The name 'William' means 'Determined Guardian' and he told me more than once during his last months, "you'll be alright, you've got a good job, you've got a car, and you're smart." Also, before he died he made anyone who would listen to him promise to take care of me. So I'm pretty lucky."

"The memories, stories and pictures that have been posted tell the story of a wonderful human being. I will always think of William as someone who walked in the employees only door, who hit the ball, never complained and did what was necessary to build a life for his family and his community. His great pure effort will live on in his children and grandchildren. My sympathy to Diane, Kevin, Iris, his parents, family and friends. "

"The Story of Our Wedding I proposed to William in Chicago on our way to Ettrick, WI. Maternal instinct had taken me over and I knew William was a responsible man and that he loved me. Lucky for me he accepted my proposal, even though he knew the world was overpopulated and did not want to have children, lucky for us that he agreed to have children with me, hence, Iris and Kevin, two good ones. I wanted five children because five is a good number and because I was a natural baby-haver and because William and I came from 5 kids families [good Chicago Catholics], but William said no. Only one of two times he said no to me. Why I asked. How are we going to send 5 kids to college Diane? Why do we have to send them to college, no one sent me to college? But he was right. Two is a handful, each adult holds the hand of each kid. So when we got to Ettrick Karen Flaherty picked us up at the bus station and we were squabbling about something or other. Her expansive smile smoothed us and thus began Farm Couples Therapy. Without Farm Folks intervention, William and I would not have made it as a couple. Lucky for us we always lived with other people and our rooms had no doors, only curtains or blankets separated us from other couples. Everyone heard everything and soon, knock knock on any wooden surface handy, the Kanies's, the Bridich's the Fjerstads, the Speltz's, the Traugots, the Nelsons. It didn't matter if the other couple was "together." All that mattered is that other sentient beings offered assistance and were witness and helped us treat each other with respect and helped us speak the truth. You know that ring in the air that resonates when someone speaks the truth. We asked Stephen to marry us. I think we were waiting for him to get out of jail. I think we asked him over the CB radio. Robert Larson was our radio man. Did he have the radio set up at White Oaks tent? That was a hilltop. We lived with the Larson's in a tent named White Oaks, steep path up the hill from the summer kitchen. I remember carrying water jugs up the hill. So impractical. So perfect. We had to live in the woods. Stephen said okay and planned to drive up in the Scenic Cruiser for our March 9, 1975 wedding. Before William died we celebrated our 41st wedding anniversary, no small miracle. So we announced the date to our families and friends in Chicago and they made plans to attend our hippie wedding in the middle of nowhere in Wisconsin in the dead of winter, only a five hour drive from Chicago. Gilbert, my father, was already living with us so he didn't have to drive. When Stephen and entourage arrived in the Scenic Cruiser a few days before the wedding, we had to stand before him and get permission to marry in person. He said no. How embarrassing. What were we going to tell the relatives? Stephen said we were not a good match, I was too yang and William was too yin, I was too hot and he was too cold, like two metals trying to be soldered, the bond would not stick. What do I have to do William asked. Show me your stuff Stephen said. So William had like 72 hours to prove he was a good manifestor, he had hutzpah, he was the one for me. I was just dumbstruck. He ran around, talking to everyone, trying to manifest the stone ground whole wheat flour mill as a cottage industry [turns out he was allergic to flour dust and could not digest the whole wheat flour and was getting quite thin but that is a story for another time]. He tried to get a winter job in town to bring money to The Farm, he chopped firewood, he got the trucks unstuck from the frozen ruts, helped keep the vehicle engine blocks warm at night so they wouldn't crack, typical Wisconsin Farm stuff. The day before the wedding we appear before Stephen again. Will you marry us? Yes, he laughed. I just wanted to light a fire under William. Holy Smoke, was I relieved, and yes William was combustible. So we got married that Sunday morning, and all our families and Farm friends were there. "

"Holy Sepulcher Catholic Cemetery 6001 West 111th Street Alsip Illinois 60803 and William shares the cemetery with the following notables: Richard J. Daley (1902-1976), Mayor of Chicago for 21 years Ralph Metcalfe (1910-1978), U.S. Congressman, four-time Olympic medalist Dan Ryan, Jr. (1894-1961), Cook County Board President Kevin Hickey (1956-2012), Chicago White Sox player "

"On Sat. July 30th, a Memorial Mass was held in Chicago as a remembrance of William's life, for family and friends who were unable to travel to Florida in June. It was a beautiful traditional Catholic Mass followed by a luncheon at a nearby restaurant. William's parents, siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins and old friends were in attendance. William's sister, Janice, gave a beautiful eulogy that brought back many happy memories of a life well lived. Afterwards, everyone shared a meal, and recalled stories and memories of William's life. There was laughter (a few tears) and much love in the room. One of Janice's friends commented that she felt William's presence and thought "he was smiling down upon us". A private burial service at was held on July 11th at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Alsip IL, where a portion of William's remains were buried. It is a lovely plot in the cemetery, with flowers, trees, and shrubs nearby. It is a peaceful place in which one can go in the future to reflect and pray, and remember William. I will try and post a picture of the flowers at his graveside, but sometimes my technology skills are limited."

"Below is a black and white picture of the inauguration of the Municipal Building for the Indians of Sololá in 1978. If you look carefully you can see William in the crowd. He is the tallest one, the one with long hair and a beard, the one without a hat, and next to him are me and Iris, she is the only blonde baby in the crowd."

"I feel blessed to have been born and raised in that vibrant Farm community. My personal sense of well-being is grounded in so many memories of growing up surrounded by dedicated idealist who walked the talk of their deepest beliefs and kept a deep sense of genuine community, while doing the hard down-to-earth daily work of the "do it yourself" ethic and all the while sharing of themselves open-heartedly on both the material and spiritual planes of existence. I'm grateful that I experienced the best of human nature on The Farm, which keeps my hope alive that humanity will overcome all the struggles of war and injustice and will mature as a global community that lives like we did on The Farm. As said so well by The Farm's " Plenty" Non Profit Organization, "In all fairness, there is plenty to go around.""

" Coulee country, Wisconsin, on a most scenic stretch of the near Mississippi river valley, close by Galesville, the "Garden of Eden," that's where I knew these guys. Thanks, Diane [my roomie, Gilbert]. "

"Patrick, thank you so much for posting your memories of William. He told me about that crazy adventure, Wisconsin to Louisiana in winter, the last time he ever hitchhiked. The Speltz drove down with me and Iris to meet you guys in Houma, I think Liz Limon was with us too. Those were adventurous, memorable, impractical days. Iris learned to walk in Houma and I got my driver's license. William took me out for driving lessons, and our house was right next to the highway, big trucks, step on the gas Diane. "

"Diane, Sorry to hear that your beautiful grab bag of memories won't grow, but it is still a beautiful thing and that doesn't happen to everyone. I remember William from long ago in Wisconsin and on the road to Louisiana. What I remember most about William besides his wild hair and beard was his kind and gentle nature and his intense earnestness. We had less contact after leaving Wisconsin but I remember you all well including Iris and Gilbert. My favorite story with William was hitchhiking to Louisiana for wintertime work. There we were, two wild and woolly guys standing on snowplowed highways, smiling and projecting good vibes trusting that we wouldn't freeze to death. One night, somewhere near Missouri we crawled into a concrete drainpipe under an exit ramp to sleep and escape the cold. We picked opposite ends, but William got the end with the breeze. The next day, we hit Memphis where a good Samaritan snatched us off the streets before the police could. He entertained us and fed us and threatened us with a shotgun if he heard any movements in the night. The next morning he set us out on the road and we parted as friends. The next day we arrived in Louisiana and I can no longer remember if we arrived at the Gabriels or met up with the Speltzes and Limons and you, Diane. He has arrived and it was a good trip, though short. Blessings."

"Diane. I remember you both very well and with love from the Lower East Side. And then I had the lovely surprise of living with Iris in Portland for some time....such a fine young woman."

"William and his crew did a great thing for our neighbors and us when they added a room to the Walkers' block house. This work made a lot of good things happen... Especially by preventing a lien sale by the county of the family's 45 acres (to pay for a nursing home stay of longer than 3 months.)"

"Sorry to hear about William, Diane. Seems like we were just walking along down Rockwell and you - possibly on a break from school - were telling me about this guy you met and liked...Know that my thoughts are with you. "

"I found the other passport photo [see black and white family picture below with William's signature]. We look a bit shell shocked, and we were. We could hear machine gun fire a few blocks away. I remember when we volunteered for Guate, they needed lab techs and masons. We fit the bill. Stephen said send us. We went up to the house to talk on the CB radio to Guate, was the radio in the barn? Dennis Martin said we can't take any more kids, could we leave Iris behind. She was 1 year old. We said no. Stephen said send us. It will be a life changer for us. He was right. We were there for nine months, 1977 - 1978. Drove down with the Wartingers and left when the Scenic Cruiser came down and Stephen said all aboard. Relief workers were getting shot, he did not want us to get shot. William and I were both recovering from Hepatitis so Stephen did not want us on the bus. We called William's parents and asked them to wire money for air fare and we flew into Miami and then on to Nashville, with our foam mattress tied up with twine. Someone at the Nashville airport said, you know it's Farm Folks, they have a mattress. William's parents were not happy that they had to bail us out. It didn't bother me, they had frozen William's bank account after he met me, because I had copped his head, so it was a good use of his funds."

"Amazing story. I will always remember laying block with William and Roger Kanies in the dead of winter in Wisconsin. It was a Dairy Farmers silo next to his Dairy Barn and we would mix mortar and then run outside and try to lay a couple block and then freezing we ran back inside and mixed some more mortar. While we were there I remember a cow was calving and we watched the delivery. I've never been that cold in my life but I remember we were determined to finish the job. God bless William he was always very kind."

"Thanks Clifford. I don't remember that picture of William in the paisley print, probably because we lost our passport in Vera Cruz. We got across the Mexican border into Guate with temporary papers, Pedro Gray and I think Steven Weiss came from the camp in San Andreas Itzapa to muscle us in. Pedro with his beautiful Spanish [Venezuelan?] located the town mayor, threw rocks at the mayor's window on a Sunday morning, greased his palm and got him to sign our papers. William and I had to go to Guatemala City soon after and get our passports redone. One of our dear friends on The Farm dug into our belongings stored under Huckleberry Hilton and found our birth certificates and mailed them do us. Who in the heck did we drive down to Guate City with? I think we picked up supplies and had some other official business. Lewis Eberly maybe and Dennis Martin or another straw boss. Couldn't wait to get out of the city and the lowlands and the sound of machine gun fire a few blocks away. Always making it on a wing and a prayer because we were good hearted, wings on my heart, that was a good Farm Band Album. If I can find our replacement passport picture I will post it and we can do compare and contrast. "

"Diane, we are very sorry for your loss. Just found this. Hope it helps [see first passport photo, William wearing a paisley print]. It was at The House or around back of the print shop. I remember it as a passport photo shoot and we decided to do a family shot also. The paper on the wall was for passport photos. You guys were stunning."

"My first childhood memories are from our visit to Guatemala, when this picture was taken [see passport photo below]. I remember running in fields with the Mayan children and learning my first words in Spanish . . . leche, mano and por favor. I miss my father deeply, but I will always gratefully carry his kind spirit of unconditional love. He supported me throughout all our family adventures from Wisconsin, where I was born, to Summertown to Guatemala, back to Summertown to Nashville and eventually to Miami, Florida."

"We used to call hard workers, "truckers," on The Farm, and William was a shining example of a trucker, a responsibility-taker, one of those men who was out of the door (or tent flap) each morning to work with his crew. And always with time for a smile and talk. Only good things for you, William!"

"Edith McClintock, thank you so much for reminding me, we had fun at the Miami Center, and I think William and Charles helped you repair after Hurricane Andrew. You and Iris had an adventure in Belize, and Patricia endorsed me for a year in Miami so that I could establish credit. Kamal's wedding was so beautiful, and another Farm Family photo op. We had a Farm party today with the Keatings, Fitches, extended families of Fanny Bangoura and Zimmels and my our dear friend Zoraida. Three weeks later and William's party balloons are still buoyant."

"I've been blessed to have grown up in a world with many dads in my life. William was one one of them for a few years and I will always remember him as a good man."

"One of the Good Guys!"

"Work ethic, amiability and many households. Because William and I got along as a couple and had a solid work ethic, because our two children were well behaved and we knew how to communicate with all kinds of people, we got to live in many places and many households on The Farm. It seemed like as soon as we'd get settled, the housing ladies would call, can you move into The Meadow Inn (we spoke Spanish) or can you go to Houma, Louisiana (the Wisconsin Farm needs winter cash, Beth Speltz Lewis, we had good times, didn't we?) On the Wisconsin Farm we lived at Bending Birches, White Oaks, (yes, that was fun, Janet Larson) The House, Blueberry Hill and the city center in St. Paul, MN. On the Tennessee Farm we lived at The Round House, Mango Manor, Meadow Inn, Lower East Side, Fourth South (Michael Traugot, was that the name of your house? I know you took us in after Guate), Huckleberry Hilkton, The Twilight Zone, Southern Exposure, The Longhouse on Schoolhouse Ridge, and The Nashville House (Battery Lane?). In Guatemala we lived in the white adobe house in Solola, in the Solola Indian Mayor's courtyard (barnyard?) in a tent, and in the camp at San Andreas Itzapa. Some of the households had 50 people. Sometimes we bus hopped, I remember living in a milk truck outside of Seven Nations, in the Snyder's bus in the yard at The Hilkton. I also spent some time in the Adobe (wasn't that fun Leslie Jordan? Team teaching with you in Iris's and Irma's 1st grade class was a blast). Oh the places we've been and the times we've had. I must admit, Guatemala was the most extreme, while training to be a midwife was the most demanding. Managing a house day at the Longhouse (breakfast lunch and dinner from scratch for 50 people) was the most exhausting, yet trying to cover my house days and babysitting switches at Twilight Zone in order to work 2 jobs, teacher and lab tech, when Kevin was 2 years old, was the most ambitious. William was happy if he could work off The Farm. He'd say, The Farm isn't going to make it if we don't have a cash flow. He became a mason, and working with bricks and mortar, concrete and cement blocks, chalk lines and levels, suited him well. His original teacher was Richard Rogers but he also learned a lot from David Anderson. William worked tree planting with Charles Fitch and worked at Everybody's restaurant under Rob Denton. For William, work was an expression of love, and his work was a reflection of attention to detail and thoroughness. During his last months, I told William the truth and he believed me, even though he could not remember. I told him, your work is done. Don't worry, everyone is taken care of, you did a good job. You are a good man, good men are hard to find. "

"Rob, Yes we had fun in Nashville, but I remember first working with you at the Farm Market was it in Mt. Pleasant? But those times in Nashville were superb, I remember Iris learned how to swim at the city park pool and Paula knew all the best places to go with our kids, like story hour at the local library. What was our address, Battery Lane? Christopher and Iris had fun together, I think Kevin was too young to play with Dakota, and Paula knew how to grow a garden, we canned green beans and those flowers, I remember the Zinnias. Gilbert visited us for a bit, I have a picture of him with the kids at the pool. But best of all was Everybody's Restaurant, the best food ever, amazing how the masonry crew, Hans, William and Richard Stein, transitioned to restaurant workers -yum yum. And can you believe we had cable television, and if memory serves, we saw our own Farm Band, NRC, perform White Sugar on MTV. Does not get any better than that. Diane "

"Judith, Remember driving back and forth to Nashville in the back of the van? We were doing Farm Hands day labor at Bard Ward, collating something or other. Toby said Diane, William is your soulmate. William and I got back together and began courting again after Bard Ward and then on to the Wisconsin Farm. I remember you and I lived together in the single ladies tent when William was on the water truck, delivering 5 gallon jugs to the edge of the property, Sassafras Ridge Left Fork Ladies, but didn't you also spend some time in Wisconsin? Love, Diane "

"We lived together in Nashville when we operated Everybody's Vegetarian Restaurant. William was such a humble and steady influence on our crew. What a great team player and a joy to know."

"Hans, thank you so much for the post, did you see your picture in the slide show? Classic."

"William was a humble, kind man and someone who I considered to really have his act together when I knew him on the Farm. Reading the memories posted here, he was a mentor and a friend to many besides myself. He was present in his consciousness to deal with what needed to be attended to in a professional manner. I learned work ethic and diligence on the masonry crew alongside William. He was really patient with a young space cadet like me back in the day. You could see why he was nicknamed "Laser Beam." He was fun to work with at Everybody's Vegetarian Restaurant as well. He was to be blessed to have the good fortune to be surrounded by a loving family. I wish him refuge and solace as he transitions to the next part of his journey through the universe. God bless you and keep you, William Larson, you left us way too soon. I salute the Spirit within you!"

"Just got on here, and to my dismay to read this news. Simply to say what a straightforward, humorous and all around great and gentle person he was. I will treasure my memories of the times I thoroughly enjoyed being with him and Diane... love and deep sympathies to the whole family."

"I wrote this in 2012, when I was trying to help William remember his Farm experience: Let's talk Masonry Crew. William spent most of his waking hours working off The Farm, at construction, tree planting, and even at Everybody's Restaurant with Richard Stein. His Farm experience was different than mine. These days his memory is weak, he'll admit, but he remembers working with Dennis McGurk and Hans Schneider and David Anderson, Masonry Crew chief. David told William to take the truck home at night because William was the designated driver. He'd clean out the vehicle each evening and Iris still remembers getting what was left in a mostly eaten bag of Doritos, what a treat. Straight Arrow and Laser Beam are handles they had for William. I called him Mr. Clean. He tells me, "twelve inch blocks can be laid with one hand and sixteen inch blocks take two hands." William says that he remembers occasionally sleeping in Nashville, in their vehicle, to avoid the 150 mile round trip. He said that they would park at a gas station that was closed for the night. David decided one evening that they deserved some entertainment, so he took Hans, Dennis, and William to see Star Wars at the movie theater. Then they drove back to the gas station and slept. Years back, I remember William relating a story, although I can't confirm it, of the time they locked Dennis McGurk in a Porta-potty and rolled him downhill. Diane Larson March 30, 2012 "

"Celebrating William William Michael Larson was born in Chicago, IL to Eileen & William Larson on Oct 1, 1953. He is survived by his beloved parents & sisters, Janice, Mary & Nancy; his brother, Robert; his beloved wife, Diane; his beloved children, Iris & Kevin and his beloved grandchildren, Julia & Nathaniel. William & Diane have been my close friends for over 40 years. We shared the experience of living on an intentional, spiritual community in TN for a decade or so and then moving to FL in the mid-1980s. William was a sweet, loving and kind man. He had a great sense of humor and a lightness about him. He was a great mason and helped put in tile in the porch of our house many years ago. He was steadfast and strong in supporting and loving his family. We all spent many hot summer days on the beach, enjoying our children and grandchildren over the years. William was a fighter and struggled through his debilitating illness with love, humor and great dignity. Our brain is the control center for our physical, mental and emotional needs. When there is dysfunction, body systems begin to decline and control of normal function fades. William experienced times of cognizance during his journey which made it all the more heartbreaking when the times of confusion began to dominate. We would talk about his brain malfunction and how there was no cure for the condition. I did what I could to ease his symptoms knowing that the dementia and physical disabilities were beyond my control. He was always grateful, thanking me and telling me he loved me. This is the William we need to remember. While the brain controls physical, mental and emotional needs, our spirit, our shen, in Chinese, resides in our heart. William's strength through this journey of illness came from his heart, his glimmering shen. He is released from a body that no longer served him, so really he is truly free now. The process of dying is part of the Great Cycles of Creation. It is the other end of Life, birthing into non-physical spirit form. While we may fear it, it is a transformation into Holy Spirit, a journey we must all travel. As humans, we live only for a very short time in the vast expanse of the universe. Our life is a cycle- from the moment of our birth to our death. The essence of Time is not linear, but rather, it is spherical, cyclical. We begin from spirit as it enters our bodies in the moment of birth and we leave this physical body as spirit in the moment of our death. There is no Life without Death. While this is difficult for us to accept, it is the great Cycle of Life, the journey through Creation that we travel and then ultimately transcend. The same Sacred Space created as Life begins, welcomes us as Life comes to an end. I can tell you that in his last days, William radiated light and looked beautifully peaceful. Diane & Kevin had the honor of midwifing William as his spirit ascended. Today is an auspicious day as it is the Summer Solstice enhanced by the full Moon. These seasonal and monthly changes are the cycles of life & creation and our existence as humans on Mother Earth. We celebrate William in the brightest, longest Light of the year and bask in the glow of its reflection in the full moon. May we honor William in Life by celebrating his ascendance and freedom from pain & suffering. May he know how much he was loved and how many hearts were opened by his Spirit. Soar on, my friend. "

"We lived with the great Larson family at the Lower East Side and I remember what a fine person William was.....gentle, patient, smart, helpful. I had the pleasure, years later, to live with his daughter Iris, now a fine grown up young woman reflecting her kind upbringing. I am sorry that he passed too soon. I am glad he had such a loving family and friends with him during the end of his time. "

"We lived with the Larson family on the Farm for awhile. He was gentle and kind with his family and everyone. I am sorry for his loss. "

"A Mother Remembers Dear William, October 1st, 2015 A very happy birthday to you as you turn 62 years old. It may seem like a long time to you but Dad and I remember it clearly with much joy and excitement to have a healthy, beautiful baby boy born on a gorgeous autumn morning at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park, Illinois. The neighbors knew we had a baby boy the way your father, Bill, bounded up the stairs to tell them all. We have fond memories of your first five years living on Peoria Street in Chicago. You had many carefree times playing with bikes and small cars and wagons with 4 other neighbor boys before we bought a house and moved to Mt. Greenwood in Chicago. Your 8 years of grade school at St. Christina's is where we discovered your art skills, Little League baseball, your interest in nature, backyard gardening, including corn and sunflowers, and love of hiking. The 4 years of high school at Marist were spent studying hard and the 1.5 mile walk each day gave you good exercise in hiking skills. You excelled in your studies and had a brief semester at intramural football which you enjoyed. When Prom season arrived, your sister Janice was happy to arrange for her friend, Gerry McCarthy, to be invited by you to be your prom date. Then your friend, Piaskowy, and Janice double dated. Your college years at University of Illinois, Chicago Circle Campus started out well. You made the Dean's list freshman year, biology major, and you almost completed your 2nd year when your plans changed. You met Diane and much to my dismay you two decided to go live at The Farm in the Nashville, Tennessee area. Of course the joy of those years was the births of Iris in 1976 and Kevin in 1980. You did a lot of travelling and accomplished skills and were able to move to Cooper City, Florida in 1988 into your own home. I'm happy that you are still there and that Diane is able to care for you and for herself. We can only live one day at a time and accept what the future brings. Hopefully October 1, 2015 is a happy day for you. We love you and want only good things for you. I enjoy our telephone visits very much. Enjoy your gift and please let me know how you spend it. Our special love to a special son. From Mom and Dad XOXO October 1st, 2015 "

"Our paths crossed many years ago in Wisconsin. Having married a Larson we had a bond with William and Diane as we shared the same last name and were from Chicago. I love reading the comments of friends and family and to know that William continued on from when we knew him as the same kind, gentle and loving spirit that we knew ."

"I enjoyed working with William on The Farm masonry crew summer and fall of '77. I could always count on William for a friendly smile and good vibes. Together, we mixed mortar, laid brick, block, stone and poured slabs. William was good company."

"Although I never had the chance to know William really well, I felt a kinship as a Farm brother, even resonating in the harmonic frequencies of shared careers while so many miles apart. I remember most his warm smile and gentle spirit that always welcomed me as a friend."

"Richard Stein says I just read,Iam so sorry.Willie and I go back to Masonry days.I love that man. I knew him as "Laser beam" ,Peace to you. all"

"Throughout my life, my father, William Larson, has made me feel that my presence in the world is a precious gift. He has always expressed his appreciation of my intelligence and kindness and my ability to learn new things. I have felt that just being myself gives him the satisfaction of knowing that his children are living an even better life than his generation before. Some of my most heartwarming memories from childhood include . . . riding high on his shoulders as he walked through the fields and meadows of our Tennessee land . . . the delightful belly laughs I felt as a toddler when he tossed me in the air and tickled my toes . . . watching him work as a mason, laying cement foundations for houses and building walls and chimneys, with his level of devotion and precision that earned him the nickname "laser beam" from his fellow construction workers. As I grew older, my favorite memories included the many family camping trips we took, where he taught me to paddle a canoe and put up a tent. On these camping trips, he reinforced my natural interest in ecology and my appreciation of the vibrancy and peacefulness of wild places. As a teenager, he taught me how to drive. He was an excellent driver, competent and safe, and this was passed on to me. Anytime he taught me something new, he did so in such a patient and competent way that it instilled in me a balance of both humble cautiousness and healthy confidence. And even more importantly, he taught me wisdom regarding what's most important in life. He taught me the value of avoiding the tendency to base our sense of self-worth on the praise or blame we receive from others. He showed me that I was inherently good, regardless of how I was judged in the eyes of others. He explained to me the power of compassionate honesty. If we have both the courage to speak the truth and to say it with kindness and respect, we will travel through life grounded in a sense of well-being. My father showed his respect for me by not ever putting pressure on me to make life choices based on what he thought I should do. Whether it was the career I chose, the clothes I wore, or whether I participated in sports or performing arts, he trusted me to make wise choices. My heart is heavy with the sorrow of losing him, yet still full of love and gratitude for the blessing of being born to such a good father. Iris Worland "

"The Chicago Larsons got home safely on Tuesday, and Kevin and Amanda returned to California on Wednesday. We put 4 new tires on the Toyota on Wednesday after 2 flats, William's car misses him, his last thoroughly researched big purchase. Reminds me of Billy Crystal's monologue 700 Sundays. Iris and family return to Vermont today. We went to Keating beach observation tower and surveyed Iris's stomping grounds, former jobs, internships, old neighborhood, South Florida flora and fauna, sea turtle nests and sea grapes. pelicans and sandpipers. The grandkids fostered a kitten while they were here and although Julia and Nathaniel love Darrel, I am not ready for kittens yet. I talked to Thomas Hupp and he bonded with William on the Tennessee Farm Construction Crew, they worked side by side, bricks and mortar, sweat and soda pop. We moved to Miami with The Hupps, a package deal, we shared a rental house, was it 1st Avenue and 12th Street? And they worked for TSC Satellite Installations with Terrell, Donald, Jeffery and Charles in Kendall until the feds closed down Mohammed's company. Crazy days in Miami in the '80s. We liked the show Miami Vice and used to watch for location shots in our neighborhood."

"I will always remember my grandpa. He was always so benevolent, calm, and was always so willing to play with me, especially outdoors. My best memory of him was when we went to treetops park. We played around up in the high towers, lifting us high above the forest floor and skipped along the board walks around the swamp. He knew just about every plant, insect, reptile, and more that we walked by. This was my last memory of my grandpa, never getting to see him after he got sick, but I am glad I will always remember my grandpa as the way he truly is. I love you grandpa, you will be missed. "

"I wake up the second day of summer, the day after we put William to rest, and I see that I am blessed. I want to put on music and call people on the phone but it is 0630 in the morning and my guests are sleeping. I step outside, circle my 1/8 acre, water the tree I just planted in the backyard. Is this my beautiful house? Yes, thank you William. Kevin circled the house before his most recent trip back to California and said "All I see is William's work." Work is an expression of love. I circle the house and see a gem, polished and restored, William's work continued, the work of my caregivers and their network of professionals. Kevin says there's never been so many people in our house, yes, the biggest party ever. Iris sits at a table, friends she grew up with, Linda, Ramona and Corina. Larson's, Schreiner's, Worland's, Farm Folks, the Lab connection, William's KMBS co-workers and Caregivers Extraordinaire, my extended family. We laugh and eat, hoot and holler, I am so grateful. Yes, William, I am taken care of. "

"William was a caring big brother. When I started 1st grade William had to walk me to school. He had such long legs and moved so fast that I practically had to run the whole way, but he made sure that I got there safely. When I began Brownies William would ride his bike to pick me up. I remember riding on the handle bars and holding on tightly as we sped home on dark fall evenings. Even though having a little sister came with many responsibilities, William was always kind and caring and eager to play games with me. William loved nature, science, and politics. He was a big fan of Star Trek and Laugh-In. He liked to play baseball, throw the ball for our neighbors' dog, and hike. He could always teach you something about the trees, insects or animals. Once he found an abandoned box turtle and brought it home to care for it. He was disciplined and a hard worker. In high school he held 3 jobs and still earned great grades. He enjoyed physical activity, whether it was work or play. William was a kind and fair-minded person who made his time on earth count and we are much better for having had him in our lives. He was loved and will be missed. Peace and Love to you big brother on your next journey! Go first again to lead the way until we meet again! Your little sis, Mary "

"William was my older brother, and I will miss him a great deal. He was 11 years older than me, and moved away from home when I was only 8 years old, so my early memories of him are when I was a young child. I read an article in yesterday's Chicago Tribune commemorating the 50th anniversary of the television show, Star Trek. I remember William enjoyed watching the show, and would put me on his lap and we would watch it together. I had no interest in the show itself, but enjoyed spending time with him. I remember William making decorative candle holders by dripping melted crayon wax on an old ketchup bottles. At the time, I remember thinking how "cool" and creative he was. Sometimes I will go into a restaurant, and they will have similar candle holders on the tables, and it reminds me of William. In more recent years, William would come to the Chicago area for occasional visits, and I have fond memories of taking hikes in the forest preserves or at the Indiana Dunes. William had a great love of nature, and always had a sense of curiosity and wonder about the world we lived in. William always had a kind way about him and a wonderful sense of humor. Whenever you had a conversation with William, he was never distracted or distant. He let you know that he was truly interested in what you had to say. And how could we forget William's love of tye-dye! He "rocked it"! I will miss you, William."

"William was 1 1/2 yrs older than me. When my Mom brought me home from the hospital he looked at me and said, "bow wow!" When we were in the stroller a neighbor commented " how did she get such a cute face and William said, "Oh she was just born with it and she's had it ever since." He was gentle and kind. He loved nature and we would often go hiking and walks along the beach when he would come to visit. In more recent years we would talk every week end for hours discussing politcs and "those damn republicans" My heart went out to him when he struggled with his loss of job, not being able to drive or go to the grocery store. He would often say, My brain does not work and nobody knows how to fix it!" Willam was a compassionate brother and great listener asking about others even when things were going so badly for him. I am grateful Diane was able to find such loving caregivers as Viola and Patricia and that Diane and Kevin were with him at the end. Farewell sweet William! Love, Your sister, Janice"

"I really liked the picture of when Grandpa William was holding me. He was very nice and generous. "

"Photos are a history of an event, I remember each of these events. Wow. What a good guy. After I find the Kleenex I step out to see the full moon and hear the mockingbird squawking on the roof. The bird is up early, it's still dark and I'm feeling blessed. William was a good man. Good men are hard to find. Lucky me. "

"William was my big bro and he will be dearly missed. There was a pretty big age difference between us ( roughly 16 years) and separation in that we lived in different states. So we didn't have the traditional sibling relationship that brothers normally have. However I have many fond memories from my childhood from the times that we did share together which I would like to now share with others: When William would come to visit and I was still quite young, he would always make time to play with me. I recall him pulling me on the sled in winter and taking me on nature walks in the nearby forest preserves. William would also write letters and send little gifts to me (which was a much bigger deal back then before the internet and all of this mass media). William was a good dad and loving husband as is evidenced by the two outstanding children (Iris and Kevin) that he and Diane raised. It's sad and quite tragic that his life was cut so short, but he will live on in the memories of the people that he touched and the children and grandchild that carry his genes."