Alice Elizabeth Larson (Hoiland), age 87, formerly of Bloomington, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on March 20, 2021, at the Reflections Care Suites in Northfield, Minnesota.
Alice was born Oct. 8, 1933, to Selmer and Martha (Ormseth) Hoiland. She grew up on a farm near Luverne, Minnesota, attended Shady Nook Country School initially, and graduated from Luverne High School in 1951.
Alice attended Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and then transferred to the University of Minnesota to study nursing, graduating in 1956. She felt she studied at the U of M during an exciting time in medicine, with advances in open heart surgery.
Mutual friends introduced Alice to Roger Allan Larson, and they married in January of 1956. They made their home first in St. Paul and then in Bloomington, where they raised their two sons.
Alice worked at Lutheran Deaconess Hospital in Minneapolis before becoming a school nurse. She worked at Washburn, F. Wilson Pond, Kennedy, and Riverside, finally retiring from Oak Grove Intermediate School after more than 25 years with the Bloomington Public Schools. Alice was patient, kind, and a good listener, a perfect combination for students needing an excuse to visit the nurse.
In the community, Alice served on committees for Project Charlie (chemical dependency education) in Bloomington for years. She taught Sunday School at Grace Lutheran Church in Bloomington when her boys were small, and sang in the choir.
Alice enjoyed golfing and traveling with Roger. They planned vacations around golfing at some of the world's most iconic golf courses. In retirement they enjoyed winters in Arizona. Later Alice provided years of care and support for Roger after he developed Alzheimer's disease. Alice moved to Northfield in 2018 to be closer to family. She treasured her visits (in-person, window, virtual, phone) with her family, and friends old and new.
Survivors include her son, John (Laurie) of Northfield, Minnesota; son Tom (Dawn) of Cincinnati, Ohio; grandchildren, Annaka Marie Larson (Andy Tolan) of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Emily Alice Larson (Bill Fischer) of Joplin, Missouri, Joseph Larson (Annie) of Richmond, Virginia, and Rachel Larson (Alejandro Trujillo) of Mason, Ohio; and her great-grandson James Tolan-Larson; brother Stephen Hoiland (Sharon) of Apple Valley, Minnesota, brother-in-law Alan Welle of Willmar, Minnesota, and sister-in-law Shirley Hagen of Apple Valley; nieces, nephews, and friends.
Alice was preceded in death by her husband, brother David Hoiland, and her sister, Laura Welle.
Interment will be private at Fort Snelling National Cemetery. Memorials preferred to University of Minnesota School of Nursing Undergraduate Scholarships (www.nursing.umn.edu) or the Luverne High School Dollars for Scholars (www.luverne.dollarsforscholars.org).
Arrangements are with Bierman Funeral Home and Crematory, Northfield. www.biermanfuneralhome.com
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