Lowell Swan Larsen

Rock Springs, Wyoming/Bicknell, Utah - Lowell Swan Larsen, age 84, died at his home in Rock Springs, Wyoming on December 3, 2009 from complications associated with emphysema. He was born January 17, 1925 in Salt Lake City Utah the second child of John Sorensen Larsen and Janet Innes Swan Larsen. He was raised on the family farms in Bicknell, Utah. His formal education was in Wayne County and Kaysville, Utah. The Second World War broke out while he was in high school and his graduation was deferred until he returned home from the service. Lowell joined the U.S. Navy September 16, 1943 and served on the USS Indiana in the South Pacific. He participated in the battles at the Gilbert Islands, Tarawa, the Marshall Islands, Truk, Ponape Island, the Mariana Islands, Saipan, The Battle of the Philippine Sea, Palau Islands, Iwo Jima, Okinawa, Tokyo Bay and was in Tokyo for the Japanese surrender. He was discharged from military duty on March 30, 1946. Shortly after returning home from the military Lowell met Gatha Ellett, they were married October 11, 1947 in Fremont Utah. Their marriage was solemnized in the Manti Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on April 30, 1966. Lowell’s life was filled with a variety of different occupations most of which centered around the operation of heavy equipment and other construction skills. Shortly after he and Gatha were married they helped rebuild the ferry that crossed the Colorado River at Hite for Art Chaffin who was a family friend. Lowell hauled fuel oil to the Vanadium Corporation Mill near Hite during the uranium boom of the 1950’s. He was able to haul the fuel oil the shorter distance from Hanksville, Utah to the mill because Art Chaffin would let him cross the river on the ferry with his truck but would not grant the same privilege to the other operators who had to take the longer route from Blanding, Utah. Lowell and Gatha moved to Monticello, Utah in 1952 where they raised their three surviving children, Kathie, John, and Lloyd. While in Monticello Lowell operated a Chevron bulk plant, an American Oil bulk plant for Graves Oil Co., worked at the San Juan Lumber saw mill, drove truck for the San Juan County road department and worked as a mill operator at the Keystone Wallace copper mill in Lisbon Valley. In 1978 Lowell and Gatha moved to Rock Springs, Wyoming where Lowell worked for Frac-Tanks Inc. In 1982 Lowell and his two sons John, and Lloyd started Triple L, Inc. a construction and service company serving the petroleum industry in the intermountain area. He turned the day to day operation of the company over to John and Lloyd in 1987 but remained a “voice” in the company’s decisions until his death. Lowell is survived by his wife of sixty two years Gatha Larsen of Rock Springs, Wyoming, a daughter Kathie McFarlane, also of Rock Springs, Wyoming, a son John Leland Larsen and wife Debbie of Lander, Wyoming, a son Lloyd Charles Larsen and wife Becky also of Lander Wyoming, nine grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. He is also survived by an older sister Phyllis Heaton of St. George, Utah, two younger brothers Richard Larsen of Bicknell, Utah, and Homer Larsen of Salt Lake City, Utah. He was preceded in death by his parents John, and Janet Larsen, his oldest son Douglas Lowell Larsen, his youngest son Sheldon Kay Larsen, and his son-in-law Nyle H. McFarlane. Grave side Services will be held Friday, December 11, 2009 at 12 Noon in the Bicknell Cemetery. Friends may call for viewing at the Thurber LDS Ward Chapel in Bicknell, Friday morning from 10:30 to 11:30 prior to the services. He will be laid to rest next to his two sons in the Bicknell Cemetery under the care of the Springer Turner Funeral Home of Richfield and Salina, Utah.