In Memory Of
William Larson
William Larson
William D. Larson
Services will be 2:00 p.m., Friday, July 26, 2002 at First Southern Baptist Church, 1912 Gage Blvd, Topeka for Bill Larson, 78, of Topeka, who died Monday, July 22, 2002 at his home in Topeka.
Bill was born July 2, 1924 to Elizabeth and Raynard Larson in Bellingham, Washington, the fourth of four children. He spent his early life on the Sioux Indian Reservation in British Columbia. He served in the Canadian Army Special Forces and US Army from 1939 to 1944, seeing action in Europe and North Africa. Following recovery from wounds received in Italy, he returned to British Columbia.
Bill moved to Topeka in 1965 to develop a Chapter of the Seventh Step Foundation, dedicated to helping ex-convicts become contributing members of society. He initiated the first ex-convict program in the U.S. Army at Fort Riley in 1969 and was elected as the Seventh Step Foundation national president in 1971 and again in 1972. As a highly sought after lecturer on these topics, he made over 1000 public presentations. He became a 32nd Degree Mason and was a member of the Arab Shrine Temple, Scottish Rite, Southern Baptist Church and the Fraternal Order of Eagles of Topeka, where he received the Home Town Builder Award for betterment of the community.
He became a probation officer in the Third Judicial District Court Services for Shawnee County in 1973 where he served until his retirement in December 1989. During this time, he helped hundreds of lawbreakers as well as their judges and other members of Court Services. He collected millions of dollars in restitution for victims of crimes, was appointed by Gov. Robert Docking and later reappointed by the Attorney General to the Citizens Advisory Board to the Secretary of Corrections and was appointed to the Legislative Coordination Council of the Citizens Advisory Committee on Corrections.
Mr. Larson published his biography, Hear Me Barabas, in 1973, working with Bill Schul, who in 1997 published, Wayward Angel-The Bill Larson Story.
Mr. Larson married Evelyne Blanchard in 1969. She died in 1999. He is survived by a stepson, Steve Gebhart of Pensacola, Florida, two grandchildren, Kelly Gebhart of Pensacola and Jeff Gebhart of Overland Park, Kansas.
Cremation is planned. Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Services will be 2:00 p.m., Friday, July 26, 2002 at First Southern Baptist Church, 1912 Gage Blvd, Topeka for Bill Larson, 78, of Topeka, who died Monday, July 22, 2002 at his home in Topeka.
Bill was born July 2, 1924 to Elizabeth and Raynard Larson in Bellingham, Washington, the fourth of four children. He spent his early life on the Sioux Indian Reservation in British Columbia. He served in the Canadian Army Special Forces and US Army from 1939 to 1944, seeing action in Europe and North Africa. Following recovery from wounds received in Italy, he returned to British Columbia.
Bill moved to Topeka in 1965 to develop a Chapter of the Seventh Step Foundation, dedicated to helping ex-convicts become contributing members of society. He initiated the first ex-convict program in the U.S. Army at Fort Riley in 1969 and was elected as the Seventh Step Foundation national president in 1971 and again in 1972. As a highly sought after lecturer on these topics, he made over 1000 public presentations. He became a 32nd Degree Mason and was a member of the Arab Shrine Temple, Scottish Rite, Southern Baptist Church and the Fraternal Order of Eagles of Topeka, where he received the Home Town Builder Award for betterment of the community.
He became a probation officer in the Third Judicial District Court Services for Shawnee County in 1973 where he served until his retirement in December 1989. During this time, he helped hundreds of lawbreakers as well as their judges and other members of Court Services. He collected millions of dollars in restitution for victims of crimes, was appointed by Gov. Robert Docking and later reappointed by the Attorney General to the Citizens Advisory Board to the Secretary of Corrections and was appointed to the Legislative Coordination Council of the Citizens Advisory Committee on Corrections.
Mr. Larson published his biography, Hear Me Barabas, in 1973, working with Bill Schul, who in 1997 published, Wayward Angel-The Bill Larson Story.
Mr. Larson married Evelyne Blanchard in 1969. She died in 1999. He is survived by a stepson, Steve Gebhart of Pensacola, Florida, two grandchildren, Kelly Gebhart of Pensacola and Jeff Gebhart of Overland Park, Kansas.
Cremation is planned. Penwell-Gabel Mid Town Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of William Larson, please visit our flower store.
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