Willie Larsen's Memorial
Long time Juneau resident Wilhelmine Jean Larsen (95) peacefully departed her earthly journey on Nov. 12, 2025 at the Juneau Pioneers’ Home with family by her side.
Wilhelmine was born on a small farm near Markham, Ontario in Canada on Oct. 13, 1930 to Robert and Jean (Brown) Thomson. It was during the Great Depression, and the young family soon moved from the farm to live in what would become her childhood home in Unionville, Ontario. Her sister, Mildred, and brother, Bruce, soon joined the family. Wilhelmine was honored to be named after her beloved maternal grandfather, William Brown, but did not like that it was such a long name and frequently mispronounced, so she fondly became “Willie” to family and friends.
Growing up during the Depression and rationing period of World War II instilled a life-long value of frugality. She had an amazing memory and loved to recall stories of places, people and events that touched her life. She stated at a presentation regarding the Alaska Native Hospital, “I’ll try to stick to this synopsis, as I’ve been known to wander off on tangents when it comes to telling stories.” One vivid emotional memory from her adolescence was running home with great jubilation at the announced ending of WWII, and suddenly realizing the great cost her village had paid as she passed the many homes of neighbors whose son(s) would not be returning. Working summers during her high school years at Miners’ Bay Lodge in Ontario was among Willie’s cherished memories.
At a very young age, Willie knew that she wanted to become a nurse. After high school she and her sister entered the School of Nursing at Belleville General Hospital. Following three full years of training and passing her RN (Registered Nurse) exam, she graduated in 1952 with a desire to travel. So, she applied for a nursing position with the U.S. Federal Government to come to Juneau, Alaska. Willie signed a two-year contract to work at the Alaska Native Hospital (located at what is now the parking lot for the Juneau Federal Building) to care for patients brought from Alaskan villages for TB treatment. She traveled from Toronto, Canada to Seattle via Greyhound bus and took a steamship up the inside passage to Juneau in early May 1953. Within a couple of weeks of her arrival, she was introduced through a blind-date to Niels Finn Larsen. By Dec. 24th of that year, Willie was walking down the aisle of the old Northern Lights Presbyterian Church on Fourth Street in Juneau to become Finn’s cherished wife. Her two-year commitment to Alaska became a 72-year adventure.
Finn and Willie’s first home, like many young couples of the day, was an apartment at the Fosbee, where their first daughter, Kristine, joined them in 1955. Later that year, they bought their first home, a triplex near Norway Point. Here they welcomed their son, Douglas, and second daughter, Elizabeth. Finn built a new home beside the triplex a few years later that became their “forever home,” where they enjoyed a lovely view of Aurora Harbor and Gastineau Channel.
Willie worked many years caring for patients at the Alaska Native Hospital, old St. Ann’s Hospital, several Juneau doctor clinics, the PHS clinic, and SEARHC before retiring in 1990. Many lifelong friendships were established because people were drawn to her by her compassionate nursing care and her love of meeting and knowing people. Willie was also a very involved mother, chauffeuring her children to various activities, volunteering in classrooms, being a Cub Scout den mother, 4-H leader and camp nurse, and Sunday School and Vacation Bible School teacher. Her children and grandchildren always knew they were richly blessed having such a devoted, caring woman as their beloved “Mom/Grandma.” She was a member of Resurrection Lutheran Church (where she was an active quilter), the Alaska Nurses’ Association, the Sons of Norway, and the Alaska Pioneers.
Willie and Finn loved to travel and inspired their children with this desire by taking them on several unforgettable trips to their homelands and on many Alaska/Canada adventures. In their retirement years, they explored and enjoyed many memorable trips within and outside the U.S. One of their greatest pleasures was spending time with family, particularly summer weekends at their Amalga Harbor cabin. Willie was frequently seen taking her afternoon/evening strolls in downtown Juneau neighborhoods and/or along the waterfront wearing her sentimental bright orange hunting cap, originally her dad’s Alaskan fishing cap. Sightings from friends would often report — “I saw Willie and her orange hat at…”
Willie was preceded in death by her parents, sister, brother and her beloved husband of 66-years, Finn. She is survived and deeply missed by her children, Kris (Rick) Ritter, Doug (Wendy) Larsen, and Beth (Wayne) Hixson; grandchildren, Kristian and Ryan Ritter, Travis (Lilly) Larsen, Trevor (Jana) Larsen, Michael Sarkesian, and Brittany (John) Kuterbach; and great-grands, Alina and Maeve Kuterbach, Finn and Sabine Larsen, and Eleanor and Sadie Jean Larsen. She is also survived by beloved nephews and nieces in Canada and Denmark.
Finn and Willie’s family is profoundly grateful for the wonderful care provided by the Juneau Pioneers’ Home staff; and deeply touched by the genuine love they gave Willie and Finn during their time with them. The family is comforted believing Finn and Willie are together with our Lord, and are dancing to their favorite song, — “Moonlight Serenade,” — which Willie always requested when Tom Locher or TJ played the JPH piano.
A memorial service for Willie will be held at Shephard of the Valley Lutheran Church (8198 Keegan Street, Juneau) on Sunday, Dec. 7th at noon. The service can be viewed via zoom by going to the sovlutheran.org website. All friends and acquaintances are invited to celebrate Willie’s life with her family. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Juneau Community Foundations – Juneau Pioneers’ Home Fund (info@juneaucf.org), the Bartlett Regional Hospital Foundation (brhfoundation.org), or a charity of choice.