Janet Larsen

Memorial services for Janet Mae Larsen, age 85, of Milaca, will be held on Tuesday, November 4, 2025 at 10:30 AM the Milaca Evangelical Free Church, with Pastor Dale Clifton officiating. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service. Interment will follow at Borgholm Cemetery.

Janet Mae Larsen was born on January 21, 1940, in Johnsville, Minnesota, to Carl and Violet Erickson. She grew up on the family’s 80-acre farm, where the main crop was radishes. Janet worked side by side with her parents, helping with daily field operations and assisting her mother in the home.

She attended a one-room schoolhouse and later continued her education in Anoka, where she earned her the nickname “Speedboat” because she loved to run everywhere she went. Janet graduated from Anoka High School, where she developed a love for music. She sang and played the piano and was a member of the Sistones Quartet with her sister and friends, performing at church events, around Minnesota, and even on local radio and television programs.

Following high school, Janet worked as an administrative assistant at Electric Machinery, where she met her future husband, Gary William Larsen. They were united in marriage on September 14, 1968, and made their home in Blaine before moving to the rural Bock area in 1973.

Janet devoted her life to her family as a loving wife and mother. She was active in her church and community, serving with the Christian Women’s Club, Milaca Evangelical Free Church, the Milaca Elim Auxiliary, and volunteering for many years at the Milaca Elim Nursing Home.

She loved to sew, bake, and share her creations with others. Janet’s warm heart and gentle humor touched everyone she met. Most importantly, she loved her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, spending countless hours studying His Word and living out her faith through kindness, compassion, and service.

Janet is survived by her children, Todd (Tracy) Larsen of Milaca, and Karleen (Scott) Black of Milaca; six grandchildren — Claire, Nicholas, Abby, Leyton, Tanyon, and Kydon; and her brother Rick (Penny) Erickson of Rosemount, MN.

She was preceded in death by her husband Gary; her parents Carl and Violet Erickson; her sister Diane; and brothers Bill, Larry, Bob, and Roger.

The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the caring staff of the Milaca Elim Meadows and the Milaca Elim Nursing Home for their kindness, compassion, and exceptional care throughout Janet’s later years.

Memorials can be sent to Peterson-Johnson Funeral Home, 260 Central Ave S, Milaca, MN 56353.