Eminent Homemaker
County: Kingsbury
Lillian Larson has been a Kingsbury County homemaker for many years. Born at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on March 24 1898, she moved with her parents, Joe Novak, to Lake Preston, in 1905. However the family returned to Cedar Rapids in 1913 where Lillian was graduated from high school. The family came back for good in 1915 and farmed within a mile of the present Larson 320-acre grain and livestock farm, 5½ miles southwest of Lake Preston.
On Oct. 2, 1919, Lillian Novak and George Larson, were married. They have lived on the same farm ever since except for two years at a location one mile south.
The Larson’s have raised three children. Verne farms across the road from his parents. Mrs. Ralph (Louella) Palmer resides at Gregory where her husband is a veterinarian, and Mrs. Richard (Marlys) Christensen lives on a farm near Arlington.
The children have all been 4-H Club members and have attended South Dakota State College. Two won trips to the National 4-H Club Congress. Verne was an International Farm Youth Exchange delegate to Puerto Rico several years ago.
Larson has been active in many community and church organizations. She taught Sunday School for about 15 years in the Methodist Church at Lake Preston.
A member of the Sunshine Circle Extension Club, she has held all club offices, been a state treasurer of the Federation of Home Demonstration Clubs and district secretary-treasurer. She first joined an extension club in 1921.
She has served as a 4-H Club leader for 19 years and was once elected vice president of the State 4-H Leaders Association.
In addition, she has been active on various committees, in the county AAA farm women, American Legion Auxiliary, PTA, Farmers Union and has helped conduct numerous fund drives.
The Larson’s were host to two International Farm Youth Exchange delegates; one from Argentina and one from Iraq.
Larson, who used to can and freeze a lot, still bakes her own bread and cookies.
Her hobbies include woodworking, crocheting, metal work and flower arranging.