H. Kleis Larsen

H. Kleis Larsen, 93, died of prostate cancer in Grants Pass, Ore., Jan. 27, 2007.

He will be remembered in Oregon by friends and family. He outlived most of his friends so the group of mourners would be small.

However, had this memorial happened in Missoula 20 years ago, a thousand people would have gathered at Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church to say good-bye to a man who had significantly impacted their lives.

In his apartment was found a box proving the value he had to so many people. In the box is a scrapbook with hundreds of letters from children who wanted to say good-bye upon his retirement as the principal of the Franklin Elementary School where “Mr. Larsen” was principal for 30 years.

At Franklin he was always actively involved with the PTA, the athletic teams, the Boy Scouts (33 years as Assistant Scoutmaster of Troop 3 and Cubmaster of Pack 3) , and the music program. Anything happening to the 10,000 kids who passed through his school during his tenure saw management from the principal. Previous to Franklin school years, Mr. Larsen had taught at Willard and Central Elementary Schools, and in Custer.

Also in the box was a plaque thanking him for his several years as president of the Missoula Lions Club.

Another plaque thanked him for his major contributions during six years as regional director of the Northern Division of the Rocky Mountain Ski Patrol and for work with the Ski Patrol at Snow Bowl for 16 years.

Saint Paul’s Lutheran Church thanked him for his years as president of the congregation during which time significant expansion was made to the church building.

The Montana and National Education associations thanked him for years of membership and work with the “Legislative Committee” to lobby for quality education in Montana. The Montana Officials Association thanked him for 20 years as a football and basketball official.

Kleis was a builder during the summers when school was not in session. He built his first home near the university in 1939, the year he married Rae Harrington, the wife he was to love for 65 years.

This house was followed by a bigger one in 1946 for his expanding family.

He graduated from Western Montana College of Education and received a Master’s Degree from UM. He, with his kids, tore down the old Prescott School and moved the bricks cross town to rebuild as an apartment. He also built seven summer homes for people on the lakes along the Swan River.

After retirement, he moved to Flathead Lake where he continued building. He added on to his home there and constructed the volunteer fire department building at Big Arm.

Memorials are suggested to the Kleis Larsen Scholarship in Education, UM Foundation, P.O. Box 7159, Missoula, MT 59807

Kleis is survived by his four sons, Nick, Richard, Mark, and Eric, and by five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. His wife, Rae died in April of 2005 in Grants Pass where the couple had moved to be near family.