Charles "Dean" Larsen

CHARLES "DEAN" LARSEN

1935-2020

Charles "Dean" Larsen, 85, passed away peacefully on November 16, 2020. Our beloved husband, father, and grandfather will be dearly missed by all.

Dean was born March 10, 1935 to parents Charles Andrew Larsen and Ardelle Fisher Larsen in Bountiful, Utah.  He attended Davis High School where he set a very high standard for his younger siblings by serving as Student Body President his senior year.  He was also the captain and played fullback on the football team and was subsequently selected as an All-State football player. As a talented athlete, he was also the starting forward on the basketball team and was awarded honorable mention on the All-State basketball team.  In addition to his athletic prowess, he was a member of the debate team and excelled scholastically in his other studies.

Dean attended the University of Utah where he joined the Sigma Chi fraternity which began a legacy for subsequent generations. He was involved with student government at the U serving as a freshman officer. His sophomore year, he was elected to Phi Eta Sigma, a national honorary society. He took time out from his university studies to serve a mission to Germany for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  After graduation from the University of Utah in 1960 with a B.A. in Humanities, Dean again spent time in Germany serving two years as a captain in the Army, working as an official liaison. During that time, he kept busy by studying philosophy at Heidelburg University. After his honorable service in the Army, Dean returned to Salt Lake City to attend the University of Utah Law School.  In law school, Dean was elected to the Law Review. He was also honored by the U of U Law School fraternity, Phi Delta Phi, as Graduate of the Year for 1965.

Dean married Mary Jo Maero on May 7, 1965 in the Salt Lake Temple. They resided in North Salt Lake, Utah. Dean served on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals as assistant to Judge Davis Lewis.  In 1968, Dean moved his young family to Frankfurt, Germany to serve as legal representative in Europe for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  By this point in his life, Dean knew the German language better than the native Germans.

In 1970, Dean and Mary Jo, with their 3 young girls, moved back to North Salt Lake and Dean continued his church legal work as a member of the Kirton McConkie Law Firm. In 1973, Dean moved his small family to the Ensign Peak neighborhood in Salt Lake City where he lived for the next 47 years.

About this time, Dean ventured out into a private law practice, Stringham, Follet and Larsen Law, and began his lifelong interest in real estate investment and restoration. In 1973, he facilitated the purchase of the McCune Mansion at 200 N Main Street, Salt Lake City.  Something he was most proud of was knowing he saved this historical landmark and restored it back to its original beauty. In 1976, the Judge Building at Main and Broadway was purchase and rehabilitated, continuing to show Dean’s love of saving historical landmarks of Salt Lake City.  This passion continued with the further downtown real estate preservation projects including the Commercial Club Building, The Boston Building, the old Auerbach’s Department Store Building and numerous other projects benefiting the preservation and beautification of Salt Lake City.

Dean was active in many civic and professional organizations supporting the community.  He was a long time member of the Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club, Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, Utah Heritage Foundation, Area Director of American Cancer Fund, and in 1974 he ran for the US House of Representatives District 4 in Utah. Dean supported many local organizations including an ownership role in bringing the Utah Jazz to Salt Lake City, serving on the board of the Utah Symphony as well as a major sponsor of local arts including the Ryrie-Woodbury Dance Company, Ballet West and Pioneer Theater.

Dean was very active in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, serving faithfully in many church positions including Bishopric Counselor, Sunday School President, YM President and numerous other Ward and Stake callings.  Dean loved family history and genealogy and was very active in seeking out names of his ancestors.  He took many trips to Europe, Scandinavia, and United Kingdom searching the records and visiting the sites of his ancestors.  In Dean’s retirement years, he and Mary Jo served a year as BYU Chinese Teachers at Qingdao University in China helping Chinese students learn conversational English. After returning home, they hosted former Chinese students when they came to Utah to continue their studies.

Dean is survived by his spouse, Mary Jo (Maero) Larsen, and his eight children: Alise Orlandi (Richard), Debbie Jensen (Keith), Catherine Larsen, Chuck Larsen (Emily), Liz Lange (Cory), Dan Larsen, Joseph Larsen (Natalie), and Mary Ann Olsen (Travis); and his 20 grandchildren.

Due to COVID-19, a private family memorial was held at Lindquist’s Bountiful Mortuary on Friday, November 20, 2020. The internment service was held at Bountiful City Cemetery.  The family’s desire is to hold a public memorial service when it is safe for all of Dean’s many friends and neighbors to gather.

Please visit www.deanlarsen.com to view memories, pictures, and a life sketch of our beloved Dean.