Joy Fitch Larson, 88, of Santa Barbara, died January 19th in Santa Barbara after a period of failing health.
The daughter of Arthur and Myrtle Fitch, Joy was born October 26, 1923 on her grandfather's farm near Atlanta, Nebraska. The family moved to Monrovia, California when she was a year old, eight years later to North Platte, Nebraska, and finally to Goodman, Missouri, where she attended high school and graduated at age 16. She then attended Chillicothe Business College in Chillicothe, Missouri, where she broke the college's records for speed typing. On graduation she was hired by H.T. Poindexter & Sons in Kansas City, Missouri, and later became the Secretary to the President of the company.
On New Year's Day, 1944, Joy married Rev. E. Arthur Larson, Jr. a young minister of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. Later that year the couple was appointed as Youth Directors for the Midwest District, headquartered in Denver, Co. In 1950 they were chosen as Youth and Education Directors for the Southern California District and lived in Echo Park and La Crescenta. In 1954 Rev. Larson became the pastor of the Santa Barbara Foursquare Church.
In 1959, her husband switched vocations, becoming a Building Contractor, and Joy started working for Luria Development Company of Santa Barbara. She retired after working as Eli Luria's secretary for approximately 30 years.
Joy was an avid reader, a talented pianist and accompanist, artist and writer. She had the patience of a saint. She had several religious plays published, and a Daily Devotions book, "Soaring: Helps for Higher Living." She was the Governor of the Santa Barbara Colony of the Mayflower Society from 1979 – 1982. She and her husband loved to travel, taking many cross-country trips and several excursions to other countries.
Survivors include her husband of 68 years, Edwin Arthur Larson Jr. of Santa Barbara, daughter Arthea Joy Larson of Pasadena and sister, Olive Elaine Vinzant of Moline, Illinois, a niece, three nephews and many dear friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her son, John Thomas Larson, sister, Genevieve Fitch, and brother, John DeWitt Fitch.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 28th. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the either the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel or Christian School of Santa Barbara.
Obituary and photos courtesy A. Larson & O.E. Vinzant.
____________________________
Remembering Joy
By Olive Elaine Fitch Vinzant
I can remember Joy for as long as I can remember. She was seven years old when I was born.
We moved from Monrovia, California to North Platte, Nebraska when I was two, and I can remember several things from that time. The one that sticks out most is when we drove downtown in our family car, a big, boxy, blue 1924 Hudson, and we had a lady with us. The lady accidentally slammed the car door on my thumb, and to appease me, she bought me an ice cream cone. I was crying so hard I couldn't eat it, so Joy came to the rescue and ate it before it could melt. Although I wasn't eating it, I was a little miffed at her for taking my ice cream cone away from me.
The summer I was four we moved to Missouri. Before I learned to read, Joy used to read stories and books to me. I especially liked Pollyanna, and I thought Joy was positive, just like Pollyanna.
Joy had skipped a couple of semesters in school and started her freshman year in high school when I was five and she was still twelve. She was the Valedictorian of her graduating class, and I always thought she was the smartest person I would ever know. I still thought that many years later.
By the time I was in seventh grade, Joy had graduated from Business College and was working in Kansas City, and for Christmas she gave me my first watch…a Mickey Mouse watch...and I was so proud of it. About a year after that Joy married Art Larson. Our older sister, Genevieve, had been living in an apartment with Joy, and she was the organist for the wedding. My parents and I drove from southwest Missouri to Kansas City for the wedding. It was so beautiful, and I was so proud to be her sister.
A couple of years after that, Joy and Art were youth directors for their church's organization and in the summer they conducted week-long camps in Arizona, Colorado and Missouri. I got to travel with them and be at those camps. I got to see beautiful scenery and get to know what a big tease my brother-in-law could be. I am thankful to Joy for including me in these wonderful opportunities to have fun, to learn and to grow.
Over the years Joy and Art visited our family many times, both in Missouri and after Genevieve, my parents and I all lived in Illinois, and I was married and had a family. When my father died at age 90, it was Joy who came and helped with all the arrangements. When our mother and Genevieve had both broken their hips and were no longer able to live in a two-story house, Joy came to Illinois and, with my help, cleared out their house while they were both recuperating in a nursing home, sold it, selected a new one-level house, and readied it for them to move into upon release from the nursing home. Joy organized and carried out all this in two fairly short trips.
After Mother passed away and Genevieve was no longer able to live by herself, Joy and Art came to Illinois and helped get her home sold and cleared out, then took Genevieve to California and cared for her during her remaining four years.
After my retirement in 1993, and while they were still able, Joy and Art made several trips to Illinois and the three of us traveled together to Branson, Missouri, to Minneapolis to visit Art's cousins, and to Nebraska for Joy and me to see our cousins and 102 year-old aunt, Laura (Fitch) Polhemus.
Over the years I enjoyed many visits to Santa Barbara to see Joy and Art. The last time was three-and-a-half years ago. At that time, I didn't realize that it would be the last time I would see my sister.
Joy, I love you dearly...and I will always think you were one of the smartest women I ever knew.
The daughter of Arthur and Myrtle Fitch, Joy was born October 26, 1923 on her grandfather's farm near Atlanta, Nebraska. The family moved to Monrovia, California when she was a year old, eight years later to North Platte, Nebraska, and finally to Goodman, Missouri, where she attended high school and graduated at age 16. She then attended Chillicothe Business College in Chillicothe, Missouri, where she broke the college's records for speed typing. On graduation she was hired by H.T. Poindexter & Sons in Kansas City, Missouri, and later became the Secretary to the President of the company.
On New Year's Day, 1944, Joy married Rev. E. Arthur Larson, Jr. a young minister of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. Later that year the couple was appointed as Youth Directors for the Midwest District, headquartered in Denver, Co. In 1950 they were chosen as Youth and Education Directors for the Southern California District and lived in Echo Park and La Crescenta. In 1954 Rev. Larson became the pastor of the Santa Barbara Foursquare Church.
In 1959, her husband switched vocations, becoming a Building Contractor, and Joy started working for Luria Development Company of Santa Barbara. She retired after working as Eli Luria's secretary for approximately 30 years.
Joy was an avid reader, a talented pianist and accompanist, artist and writer. She had the patience of a saint. She had several religious plays published, and a Daily Devotions book, "Soaring: Helps for Higher Living." She was the Governor of the Santa Barbara Colony of the Mayflower Society from 1979 – 1982. She and her husband loved to travel, taking many cross-country trips and several excursions to other countries.
Survivors include her husband of 68 years, Edwin Arthur Larson Jr. of Santa Barbara, daughter Arthea Joy Larson of Pasadena and sister, Olive Elaine Vinzant of Moline, Illinois, a niece, three nephews and many dear friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her son, John Thomas Larson, sister, Genevieve Fitch, and brother, John DeWitt Fitch.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 28th. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the either the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel or Christian School of Santa Barbara.
Obituary and photos courtesy A. Larson & O.E. Vinzant.
____________________________
Remembering Joy
By Olive Elaine Fitch Vinzant
I can remember Joy for as long as I can remember. She was seven years old when I was born.
We moved from Monrovia, California to North Platte, Nebraska when I was two, and I can remember several things from that time. The one that sticks out most is when we drove downtown in our family car, a big, boxy, blue 1924 Hudson, and we had a lady with us. The lady accidentally slammed the car door on my thumb, and to appease me, she bought me an ice cream cone. I was crying so hard I couldn't eat it, so Joy came to the rescue and ate it before it could melt. Although I wasn't eating it, I was a little miffed at her for taking my ice cream cone away from me.
The summer I was four we moved to Missouri. Before I learned to read, Joy used to read stories and books to me. I especially liked Pollyanna, and I thought Joy was positive, just like Pollyanna.
Joy had skipped a couple of semesters in school and started her freshman year in high school when I was five and she was still twelve. She was the Valedictorian of her graduating class, and I always thought she was the smartest person I would ever know. I still thought that many years later.
By the time I was in seventh grade, Joy had graduated from Business College and was working in Kansas City, and for Christmas she gave me my first watch…a Mickey Mouse watch...and I was so proud of it. About a year after that Joy married Art Larson. Our older sister, Genevieve, had been living in an apartment with Joy, and she was the organist for the wedding. My parents and I drove from southwest Missouri to Kansas City for the wedding. It was so beautiful, and I was so proud to be her sister.
A couple of years after that, Joy and Art were youth directors for their church's organization and in the summer they conducted week-long camps in Arizona, Colorado and Missouri. I got to travel with them and be at those camps. I got to see beautiful scenery and get to know what a big tease my brother-in-law could be. I am thankful to Joy for including me in these wonderful opportunities to have fun, to learn and to grow.
Over the years Joy and Art visited our family many times, both in Missouri and after Genevieve, my parents and I all lived in Illinois, and I was married and had a family. When my father died at age 90, it was Joy who came and helped with all the arrangements. When our mother and Genevieve had both broken their hips and were no longer able to live in a two-story house, Joy came to Illinois and, with my help, cleared out their house while they were both recuperating in a nursing home, sold it, selected a new one-level house, and readied it for them to move into upon release from the nursing home. Joy organized and carried out all this in two fairly short trips.
After Mother passed away and Genevieve was no longer able to live by herself, Joy and Art came to Illinois and helped get her home sold and cleared out, then took Genevieve to California and cared for her during her remaining four years.
After my retirement in 1993, and while they were still able, Joy and Art made several trips to Illinois and the three of us traveled together to Branson, Missouri, to Minneapolis to visit Art's cousins, and to Nebraska for Joy and me to see our cousins and 102 year-old aunt, Laura (Fitch) Polhemus.
Over the years I enjoyed many visits to Santa Barbara to see Joy and Art. The last time was three-and-a-half years ago. At that time, I didn't realize that it would be the last time I would see my sister.
Joy, I love you dearly...and I will always think you were one of the smartest women I ever knew.
Joy Fitch Larson, 88, of Santa Barbara, died January 19th in Santa Barbara after a period of failing health.
The daughter of Arthur and Myrtle Fitch, Joy was born October 26, 1923 on her grandfather's farm near Atlanta, Nebraska. The family moved to Monrovia, California when she was a year old, eight years later to North Platte, Nebraska, and finally to Goodman, Missouri, where she attended high school and graduated at age 16. She then attended Chillicothe Business College in Chillicothe, Missouri, where she broke the college's records for speed typing. On graduation she was hired by H.T. Poindexter & Sons in Kansas City, Missouri, and later became the Secretary to the President of the company.
On New Year's Day, 1944, Joy married Rev. E. Arthur Larson, Jr. a young minister of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. Later that year the couple was appointed as Youth Directors for the Midwest District, headquartered in Denver, Co. In 1950 they were chosen as Youth and Education Directors for the Southern California District and lived in Echo Park and La Crescenta. In 1954 Rev. Larson became the pastor of the Santa Barbara Foursquare Church.
In 1959, her husband switched vocations, becoming a Building Contractor, and Joy started working for Luria Development Company of Santa Barbara. She retired after working as Eli Luria's secretary for approximately 30 years.
Joy was an avid reader, a talented pianist and accompanist, artist and writer. She had the patience of a saint. She had several religious plays published, and a Daily Devotions book, "Soaring: Helps for Higher Living." She was the Governor of the Santa Barbara Colony of the Mayflower Society from 1979 – 1982. She and her husband loved to travel, taking many cross-country trips and several excursions to other countries.
Survivors include her husband of 68 years, Edwin Arthur Larson Jr. of Santa Barbara, daughter Arthea Joy Larson of Pasadena and sister, Olive Elaine Vinzant of Moline, Illinois, a niece, three nephews and many dear friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her son, John Thomas Larson, sister, Genevieve Fitch, and brother, John DeWitt Fitch.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 28th. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the either the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel or Christian School of Santa Barbara.
Obituary and photos courtesy A. Larson & O.E. Vinzant.
____________________________
Remembering Joy
By Olive Elaine Fitch Vinzant
I can remember Joy for as long as I can remember. She was seven years old when I was born.
We moved from Monrovia, California to North Platte, Nebraska when I was two, and I can remember several things from that time. The one that sticks out most is when we drove downtown in our family car, a big, boxy, blue 1924 Hudson, and we had a lady with us. The lady accidentally slammed the car door on my thumb, and to appease me, she bought me an ice cream cone. I was crying so hard I couldn't eat it, so Joy came to the rescue and ate it before it could melt. Although I wasn't eating it, I was a little miffed at her for taking my ice cream cone away from me.
The summer I was four we moved to Missouri. Before I learned to read, Joy used to read stories and books to me. I especially liked Pollyanna, and I thought Joy was positive, just like Pollyanna.
Joy had skipped a couple of semesters in school and started her freshman year in high school when I was five and she was still twelve. She was the Valedictorian of her graduating class, and I always thought she was the smartest person I would ever know. I still thought that many years later.
By the time I was in seventh grade, Joy had graduated from Business College and was working in Kansas City, and for Christmas she gave me my first watch…a Mickey Mouse watch...and I was so proud of it. About a year after that Joy married Art Larson. Our older sister, Genevieve, had been living in an apartment with Joy, and she was the organist for the wedding. My parents and I drove from southwest Missouri to Kansas City for the wedding. It was so beautiful, and I was so proud to be her sister.
A couple of years after that, Joy and Art were youth directors for their church's organization and in the summer they conducted week-long camps in Arizona, Colorado and Missouri. I got to travel with them and be at those camps. I got to see beautiful scenery and get to know what a big tease my brother-in-law could be. I am thankful to Joy for including me in these wonderful opportunities to have fun, to learn and to grow.
Over the years Joy and Art visited our family many times, both in Missouri and after Genevieve, my parents and I all lived in Illinois, and I was married and had a family. When my father died at age 90, it was Joy who came and helped with all the arrangements. When our mother and Genevieve had both broken their hips and were no longer able to live in a two-story house, Joy came to Illinois and, with my help, cleared out their house while they were both recuperating in a nursing home, sold it, selected a new one-level house, and readied it for them to move into upon release from the nursing home. Joy organized and carried out all this in two fairly short trips.
After Mother passed away and Genevieve was no longer able to live by herself, Joy and Art came to Illinois and helped get her home sold and cleared out, then took Genevieve to California and cared for her during her remaining four years.
After my retirement in 1993, and while they were still able, Joy and Art made several trips to Illinois and the three of us traveled together to Branson, Missouri, to Minneapolis to visit Art's cousins, and to Nebraska for Joy and me to see our cousins and 102 year-old aunt, Laura (Fitch) Polhemus.
Over the years I enjoyed many visits to Santa Barbara to see Joy and Art. The last time was three-and-a-half years ago. At that time, I didn't realize that it would be the last time I would see my sister.
Joy, I love you dearly...and I will always think you were one of the smartest women I ever knew.
The daughter of Arthur and Myrtle Fitch, Joy was born October 26, 1923 on her grandfather's farm near Atlanta, Nebraska. The family moved to Monrovia, California when she was a year old, eight years later to North Platte, Nebraska, and finally to Goodman, Missouri, where she attended high school and graduated at age 16. She then attended Chillicothe Business College in Chillicothe, Missouri, where she broke the college's records for speed typing. On graduation she was hired by H.T. Poindexter & Sons in Kansas City, Missouri, and later became the Secretary to the President of the company.
On New Year's Day, 1944, Joy married Rev. E. Arthur Larson, Jr. a young minister of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel. Later that year the couple was appointed as Youth Directors for the Midwest District, headquartered in Denver, Co. In 1950 they were chosen as Youth and Education Directors for the Southern California District and lived in Echo Park and La Crescenta. In 1954 Rev. Larson became the pastor of the Santa Barbara Foursquare Church.
In 1959, her husband switched vocations, becoming a Building Contractor, and Joy started working for Luria Development Company of Santa Barbara. She retired after working as Eli Luria's secretary for approximately 30 years.
Joy was an avid reader, a talented pianist and accompanist, artist and writer. She had the patience of a saint. She had several religious plays published, and a Daily Devotions book, "Soaring: Helps for Higher Living." She was the Governor of the Santa Barbara Colony of the Mayflower Society from 1979 – 1982. She and her husband loved to travel, taking many cross-country trips and several excursions to other countries.
Survivors include her husband of 68 years, Edwin Arthur Larson Jr. of Santa Barbara, daughter Arthea Joy Larson of Pasadena and sister, Olive Elaine Vinzant of Moline, Illinois, a niece, three nephews and many dear friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her son, John Thomas Larson, sister, Genevieve Fitch, and brother, John DeWitt Fitch.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 28th. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the either the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel or Christian School of Santa Barbara.
Obituary and photos courtesy A. Larson & O.E. Vinzant.
____________________________
Remembering Joy
By Olive Elaine Fitch Vinzant
I can remember Joy for as long as I can remember. She was seven years old when I was born.
We moved from Monrovia, California to North Platte, Nebraska when I was two, and I can remember several things from that time. The one that sticks out most is when we drove downtown in our family car, a big, boxy, blue 1924 Hudson, and we had a lady with us. The lady accidentally slammed the car door on my thumb, and to appease me, she bought me an ice cream cone. I was crying so hard I couldn't eat it, so Joy came to the rescue and ate it before it could melt. Although I wasn't eating it, I was a little miffed at her for taking my ice cream cone away from me.
The summer I was four we moved to Missouri. Before I learned to read, Joy used to read stories and books to me. I especially liked Pollyanna, and I thought Joy was positive, just like Pollyanna.
Joy had skipped a couple of semesters in school and started her freshman year in high school when I was five and she was still twelve. She was the Valedictorian of her graduating class, and I always thought she was the smartest person I would ever know. I still thought that many years later.
By the time I was in seventh grade, Joy had graduated from Business College and was working in Kansas City, and for Christmas she gave me my first watch…a Mickey Mouse watch...and I was so proud of it. About a year after that Joy married Art Larson. Our older sister, Genevieve, had been living in an apartment with Joy, and she was the organist for the wedding. My parents and I drove from southwest Missouri to Kansas City for the wedding. It was so beautiful, and I was so proud to be her sister.
A couple of years after that, Joy and Art were youth directors for their church's organization and in the summer they conducted week-long camps in Arizona, Colorado and Missouri. I got to travel with them and be at those camps. I got to see beautiful scenery and get to know what a big tease my brother-in-law could be. I am thankful to Joy for including me in these wonderful opportunities to have fun, to learn and to grow.
Over the years Joy and Art visited our family many times, both in Missouri and after Genevieve, my parents and I all lived in Illinois, and I was married and had a family. When my father died at age 90, it was Joy who came and helped with all the arrangements. When our mother and Genevieve had both broken their hips and were no longer able to live in a two-story house, Joy came to Illinois and, with my help, cleared out their house while they were both recuperating in a nursing home, sold it, selected a new one-level house, and readied it for them to move into upon release from the nursing home. Joy organized and carried out all this in two fairly short trips.
After Mother passed away and Genevieve was no longer able to live by herself, Joy and Art came to Illinois and helped get her home sold and cleared out, then took Genevieve to California and cared for her during her remaining four years.
After my retirement in 1993, and while they were still able, Joy and Art made several trips to Illinois and the three of us traveled together to Branson, Missouri, to Minneapolis to visit Art's cousins, and to Nebraska for Joy and me to see our cousins and 102 year-old aunt, Laura (Fitch) Polhemus.
Over the years I enjoyed many visits to Santa Barbara to see Joy and Art. The last time was three-and-a-half years ago. At that time, I didn't realize that it would be the last time I would see my sister.
Joy, I love you dearly...and I will always think you were one of the smartest women I ever knew.
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