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Contact Info
Home Town Hurley and Wakonda, SD
Last Address Buried with full Military Honors, Patriot Guard Riders / Honor Mission Union Cemetery, rural Wakonda SD
Date of Passing Jan 27, 2012
Location of Interment Union Cemetery - Flandreau, South Dakota
I have so many great memories and stories of Chris. As a youth in Wakonda, I can say that Chris had as much, if not more, of a positive impact on my life than any other adult/teacher/coach/etc. There are so many stories I remember and could tell about Chris ... taking time to stop at the Wakonda Park and shoot some hoops with some of us 12 year-old 'town kids', the countless stories as our Boy Scout Master, as the bus driver for the Fan Bus to all the Wakonda away (basketball/football) games, and on and on ... I wouldn't know where to begin, or where my stories would end. But, here are two quick stories that I think of when I remember Chris.
Chris was the lifeguard and care-taker of the Wakonda Pool for several years. And, I can still picture in my mind the 'Pool Rules' board affixed to the Pool-House. Chris was always a good natured Lifeguard, and was probably more lenient with some of us boys than he needed to be. But, Chris had a reasonable limit with his patience. And, sometimes, we would have to 'call us out' for something we'd said or had done. I can still hear Chris blowing his Lifeguard whistle and saying "Larson! Read Rule #2 and leave!" I won't divulge what the specific infraction was that related to Rule #2 ... some of you may remember. Let's just say, it wasn't for "Running" in the pool area. That story still makes me (and others) smile. :-)
There are so many fond memories I have of Chris as the Scout Master our Boy Scout Troop. Suffice it to say that Chris was a Saint to give so much of his time and put forth so much effort to provide some of the best memories many of us will share for our entire lives. Chris would commandeer a Wakonda School bus and take-out some of the seats to accomodate all of our Troop's tents and gear. I'll never forget the summer trips he took us on, to the Black Hills, and to the Scout Camp in Wyoming. And, there were the other local, overnight camp trips to Yankton, the Vermillion River, Newton Hills, near Canton, and others. There are so many of us that are so grateful for all the time Chris shared with us ... and we all learned so much form him ... and we never realized how much he was doing for all of us ... because we were just kids having so much fun. Now that we've grown-up, we have a profound appreciation for all the Chris did for so many of us, when we were nothing more than just a bunch of kids in Wakonda.
Thanks Chris! You were more than a Lifeguard & Scout Master. You were a friend and mentor to so many. We'll forever be grateful and forever remember you. God Bless.
