Karl Gustave Adrian Larson, past president/CEO and chairman of the Gustave A. Larson Company, Pewaukee, WI, died on March 4 in Palm Springs, CA. He was 80.
Larson is survived by his wife M. Madeleine Larson of Aspen, CO, sons Arne G. Larson of San Antonio, TX, Andrew G. Larson of Boulder, Colorado, and Scott Karl Larson of Milwaukee, WI.
A memorial service was held on March 7, in Palm Desert, CA.
Larson’s life experiences included service in the U.S. Navy — where he rose to the rank of Lieutenant Commander — as well as outdoor activities and motorsports. Larson loved to go faster and climb higher. He participated in major ski marathons, including the Vasaloppert in Sweden, and the Birkebeiner in Norway. As a mountain climber, Larson scaled Capitol Peak in Colorado. Biking, golf, and vintage car racing were his other passions.
As a philanthropist, Larson supported the Cleveland Clinic, the National Jewish Hospital of Denver, and Colorado University Children’s Hospital.
The family asks that monetary gifts in memory of Karl Larson be made to the University of Colorado Foundation. Those gifts will be used for the Karl Larson HVAC Research Fund. The fund provides support for students conducting HVAC research in the Larson Lab, in the College of Engineering and Applied Science at CU Boulder. Over the past 18 years, dozens of students have been beneficiaries of financial support through the Larson Family Fellowship. The company reports that nearly 1,000 engineering students have passed through the Larson Lab on their paths to professional careers in the building industry.
The Gustave A. Larson Company celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2011. galarson.com