Passed away on Oct 6, 2009

Josephine C. “Jo” Larkin, age 92, of Black River Falls passed away on Tuesday, October 6, 2009, at the Family Heritage Care Center where she had resided for the past four years. Josephine Cornelia Anderson was born on October 7, 1916, in rural Melrose to Albert and Minnie (Johnson) Anderson. She was raised on the family farm in Shake Hollow, attended the Grinde School and graduated from the Melrose High School in 1934. Following her high school graduation, Jo entered the Teacher Training Program at the Union School in Black River Falls. After completion of that training, Jo’s first teaching assignment was at Spring Creek School in rural Black River Falls. She later received her B.A. degree from the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. She married Julian O. Larkin in Waukon, Iowa on March 4, 1939. The couple first lived on the Larkin family farm for 15 years before moving to Black River Falls in 1955. At that time, Julian had been elected as Jackson County Sheriff. He served in that position and other law enforcement jobs until his retirement in 1975. Jo will be remembered by many people in the county since she taught school for forty-four years. She taught rural school for ten years, taught first and second grades in Melrose for ten years, and spent twenty-four years as a first grade teacher in Black River Falls. Teaching was her life! She loved her job and the children she taught. To her, nothing was as satisfying as teaching a child to read! Jo retired in June of 1985. She continued active memberships in Alpha Kappa Gamma, Home Life Women’s Club, Sons of Norway, and her church – Evangelical Lutheran Church of Black River Falls. She also had been a volunteer at Pine View Care Center. She loved her family and treasured the times spent with them. She enjoyed reading, hand crafts, watching ESPN news and politics, playing the piano and organ, and history. She also served as her church’s historian and the historian of the Women of Evangelical Lutheran Church. Josephine is survived by her son, Everett (Alice) Larkin of Black River Falls, two grandchildren, Dr. Elizabeth (Troy) Herzberg of Melrose and William (Katie) Larkin of Black River Falls; four great-grandchildren, Zachary Herzberg, Emily Herzberg, Noah Larkin, and Eric Herzberg; a few cousins, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Julian, in 1996, her parents and two sisters, Norma Vinger of Melrose and Mae Heuer of Sparta. Funeral services will be held at 11 A.M. on Friday, October 9, 2009 at Evangelical Lutheran Church and burial will follow in Riverside Cemetery, both in Black River Falls. Rev. Eric Bakken will officiate. Family and friends are invited for visitation from 5 to 7 P.M. on Thursday at the Buswell Funeral Home, Black River Falls, and at the church on Friday from 10 A.M. until 11 A.M. Memorials may be given to either the Family Heritage Care Center Gazebo Fund or the Black River Falls Evangelical Lutheran Church. Online condolences are available at www.buswellfuneralhome.com. The family wishes to extend their thanks and sincere gratitude to Dr. Gary Petersen and the employees of the Family Heritage Care Center for the wonderful care given to Jo.