Stevensville – Aubrey Doyle Larson, 87, of Stevensville passed away on Monday, February 11, 2019 from complications of multiple myeloma. He had endured this painful cancer for several months.
He was born on June 29, 1931 in Circle, Montana. He was raised there and learned the newspaper trade under the tutelage of his father, Ben M. Larson, who owned and published the Circle Banner for more than 50 years. He attended the University of Montana and did a stint in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.
He married his wife, Marie Hunt Larson, on July 27, 1958 and together they shared 60 happy years of marriage. They have three daughters, Jana Larson, of Coon Rapids, Minnesota; Pam Larson, of Raleigh, North Carolina; and Julianne O’Brien, of Ponte Vedra, Florida. Over the course of his career, he was the owner and publisher of several small town newspapers including the Circle Banner, the Hysham Echo, the Broadus Powder River Examiner, the Jordan Tribune, the Fairview News, the Eaton Herald, and the Deer Lodge Silver State Post. He enjoyed publishing and being an integral part of the local community.
Aubrey enjoyed music and was at many a concert over the years. He especially liked choral music and was a regular attendee of the Missoula International Choral Festival. He was an avid gardener. He would grumble a bit each year that the frost came too early, or it was too dry, but his garden faithfully produced an abundant harvest each year. Traveling was another love of his and he logged a lot of miles in his car traveling to visit family or to explore some corner of the country. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, picnics, and time spent on his deck watching the sun set.
Family was important to Aubrey and he will be missed. He is survived by his wife Marie, his three daughters, and five grandchildren: Brittany Larson, Christian Larson, Nathan O’Brien, Megan O’Brien, and James O’Brien. His family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions go to Samaritan’s Purse or to Faith Lutheran Church in Hamilton, Montana.
A funeral service was held on Saturday, February 16 at the Faith Lutheran Church, 171 Lewis Lane in Hamilton with a reception was held immediately following in the church’s fellowship hall. A graveside service with military honors was held at the Riverside Cemetery in Stevensville. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.whitesittfuneralhome.com.