1949
David
2014
David Franklin Larsen
July 20, 1949 — December 10, 2014
In Memory of
David Franklin Larsen
July 20, 1949 - December 10, 2014
"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imaginationand life to everything." Plato
David Franklin Larsen, age 65, passed away on Wednesday, December 10th, 2014.
David was born in 1949 to Ivan Franklin Larsen and Francis Weldon Beatty in Portland, Oregon at St. Vincent Hospital. David's mother began teaching him piano while he was just a toddler and instilled in him a lifelong love for music. When David grew big enough to lift a trombone he added that to his repertoire, later playing in Benson Polytechnic High School's Marching and Pep Bands and participating in the Rose Festival Parade for several years. In 1967, Dave graduated from Benson, the school he claimed taught him how to fix anything!
David played in many bands over the years, but fan favorites were Montuno and Manteca, the first, and for many years the only hot Latin Jazz, "Salsa" bands in the Northwest. But David yearned to travel and for a decade David's music took him abroad, performing on cruise ships and in the Hawaiian Islands as a pianist, trombonist, band leader and musical director. Besides his performance skills, his talent as a composer, arranger and hand copyist were always in high demand.
After years of being on the road, David yearned for his Oregon home, anxious to start a family there and return to school. In 1989, David settled in the West Hills in a house known as The Treehouse with his wife and musical colleague, Katherine Larsen. In 1993, David earned his Bachelor of Music Degree in Composition from Marylhurst College.
As a brilliant and dedicated pianist and performer of all genres of music, David shared his special gift as a teacher to many students of all ages. He inspired early minds to think about life in ways only a musician could, with grace and harmony, and he taught that a little patience and "taking it slow but steady" can go a long, long way.
David is survived by Signe and Rafe, his two devoted children who share his talent for music, his big brother Terry and sister-in-law Kat, his loving nephew John and his dearest best friend Kate Larsen. He will be greatly missed by all of his family, friends and his students. One young student wrote, "I just want to thank Dave for pulling this talent out of me. Without him I never would've been where I am now!"
In his spare time David enjoyed karate, diving and Scandinavian history. His children hope to scatter his ashes in his beloved Oregon and in Denmark, the home of his ancestors.
Memorial Contributions may be made in his name to the American Heart Assoc.: 4380 SW Macadam Ave #480, Portland OR 97239 * 503-820-5300 * www.heart.org/Oregon
A Musical Celebration of Life will take place on Friday evening, March 20th at The Northwest Children's Theater located at 1819 Northwest Everett in Portland from 7 to 9 pm.
David Franklin Larsen
July 20, 1949 - December 10, 2014
"Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imaginationand life to everything." Plato
David Franklin Larsen, age 65, passed away on Wednesday, December 10th, 2014.
David was born in 1949 to Ivan Franklin Larsen and Francis Weldon Beatty in Portland, Oregon at St. Vincent Hospital. David's mother began teaching him piano while he was just a toddler and instilled in him a lifelong love for music. When David grew big enough to lift a trombone he added that to his repertoire, later playing in Benson Polytechnic High School's Marching and Pep Bands and participating in the Rose Festival Parade for several years. In 1967, Dave graduated from Benson, the school he claimed taught him how to fix anything!
David played in many bands over the years, but fan favorites were Montuno and Manteca, the first, and for many years the only hot Latin Jazz, "Salsa" bands in the Northwest. But David yearned to travel and for a decade David's music took him abroad, performing on cruise ships and in the Hawaiian Islands as a pianist, trombonist, band leader and musical director. Besides his performance skills, his talent as a composer, arranger and hand copyist were always in high demand.
After years of being on the road, David yearned for his Oregon home, anxious to start a family there and return to school. In 1989, David settled in the West Hills in a house known as The Treehouse with his wife and musical colleague, Katherine Larsen. In 1993, David earned his Bachelor of Music Degree in Composition from Marylhurst College.
As a brilliant and dedicated pianist and performer of all genres of music, David shared his special gift as a teacher to many students of all ages. He inspired early minds to think about life in ways only a musician could, with grace and harmony, and he taught that a little patience and "taking it slow but steady" can go a long, long way.
David is survived by Signe and Rafe, his two devoted children who share his talent for music, his big brother Terry and sister-in-law Kat, his loving nephew John and his dearest best friend Kate Larsen. He will be greatly missed by all of his family, friends and his students. One young student wrote, "I just want to thank Dave for pulling this talent out of me. Without him I never would've been where I am now!"
In his spare time David enjoyed karate, diving and Scandinavian history. His children hope to scatter his ashes in his beloved Oregon and in Denmark, the home of his ancestors.
Memorial Contributions may be made in his name to the American Heart Assoc.: 4380 SW Macadam Ave #480, Portland OR 97239 * 503-820-5300 * www.heart.org/Oregon
A Musical Celebration of Life will take place on Friday evening, March 20th at The Northwest Children's Theater located at 1819 Northwest Everett in Portland from 7 to 9 pm.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of David Franklin Larsen, please visit our flower store.
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