( June 12, 1941 – April 12, 2020 )
Ivar William Larson, Berthoud, peacefully passed away on Easter Sunday, April 12, 2020, with Donna, his wife of 57 years, at his side. Ivar lived a full life despite having leukemia since 1977. He is survived by his wife, Donna, Berthoud, son, Gregory Larson and grandson, Landon Larson, Haxtun, Colorado, daughter, Emily Larson, Denver, sister Delaine Carlson (Kennert Andersson), nephew Derek Carlson and Derek’s father, Gary Carlson (Vicki Lis), Portland, Oregon, aunt, Ingegerd Larson, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and many treasured cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Segried Larson and nephew, Troy Carlson.
Ivar was born in Sterling, Colorado, June 12, 1941, and grew up on the farm his grandparents John and Josephine Carlson purchased in 1909 west of Haxtun. The farm is now farmed by Ivar’s son, Greg, and was designated the Larson/Carlson Centennial Farm in 2009. Ivar graduated from Dailey Grade School in 1955, Haxtun High School in 1959, received his BS in Applied Mathematics Engineering with a minor in Electrical Engineering from the University of Colorado in 1964, his MS in Electrical Engineering from Bradley University, Phi Kappa Phi, in 1967.
In 1976, Ivar became a Professional Engineer specializing in structural, electrical, civil, and mechanical engineering. He worked with Caterpillar Tractor Company, Peoria, Illinois, at the Mossville Research Center from 1964-1967. After receiving his MSEE in 1967, he joined Hewlett Packard in Loveland, as part of the team developing the first “desktop computer,” HP 9100A. Ivar then travelled internationally training HP personnel on its use and marketing. During these travels he helped to develop a five-year plan for new HP products.
In 1974, Ivar bought into Professional Design Builders, Inc. (PDB) and introduced the use of the HP “desktop computer” in commercial construction estimation and cost control procedures. PDB built over 30 schools (including Berthoud High School from which both of his children graduated) and many other commercial and municipal projects in the Colorado/Wyoming Front Range area.
Along with other business ventures, Ivar and Donna continually purchased and managed farm properties in Colorado and Kansas and developed a Maine Anjou/Angus cattle herd on their farm/home in Berthoud. Ivar did not embrace the word retirement, therefore after slowing his active construction projects, Ivar continued working on entitlements for properties to be developed.
He diligently and passionately fought for oil and gas safety regulations and for oil and gas pipeline setbacks because of many unsafe practices of oil and gas companies. In 2012 Ivar and Donna succeeded at the Colorado Supreme Court gaining clarification of statutes that were not meant to allow condemnation by private companies for fuel pipelines. The victory forced a major oil company to remove its additional pipeline that had been installed by condemning Larson’s private property to carry millions of additional gallons of jet fuel per day to Denver International Airport.
Throughout his years, Ivar worked tirelessly engineering projects to aid businesses and improve the lives of the public. However, the lives he always fought for with the most passion was for those of his family and friends. His love and enthusiasm for life was admired by colleagues, friends, and most dearly, by his family who loved him.
Due to the current COVID-19 guidelines, cremation has been conducted and services will be held at a later date. Arrangements were entrusted to Kibbey-Fishburn Funeral Home [1] in Loveland.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, please donate to the scholarship fund of Northeastern Junior College Foundation, 100 College Avenue, Sterling, CO 80751. Please note that your donation is made in memory of Ivar W. Larson. Condolences may be left for the family at KibbyFishburn.com [2]