Retired Covenant minister Harold Larsen died June 5, 2026, at home in Port Ludlow, Washington. He was 95.
Harold Theodore Larsen was born June 29, 1930, in Tacoma, Washington, to Ludwig Alfred Larsen and Inga Berntsen Larsen—Norwegian immigrants and the parents of six children, of whom Harold was the youngest. The family navigated the lean years of the Great Depression, living in thirteen different houses before Harold turned eleven and his parents finally purchased a home of their own. At Stadium High School, his classmates dubbed him “The Crooner” for a voice they likened to Bing Crosby’s—a gift Harold would carry throughout his life, singing on the radio, in groups, and in gospel and barbershop quartets for decades to come.
Harold attended Augsburg Lutheran College in Minneapolis, where he met Arlene Marie Hoard. They married on August 19, 1949, after their freshman year and began a family. With one year of college behind him, Harold taught school in a one-room North Dakota schoolhouse, then served three rural Methodist churches in Minnesota—dashing from one congregation to another each Sunday to deliver three sermons. Eventually Harold and Arlene made their way to Seattle, where Harold held fast to his call to pastoral ministry, working full-time at the Navy Yard and Boeing for eight years while taking classes on the side. In 1960 he graduated from Seattle Pacific College. In 1961 the family moved to Chicago, where Harold earned a master of divinity degree at North Park Theological Seminary in 1965.
Over thirty years of ministry, Harold served Covenant churches across North America: Hillman Covenant Church in Seattle, Washington; Lake Stevens Covenant Church in Lake Stevens, Washington; Gethsemane Covenant Church in Hermantown, Minnesota; Community Covenant Church in Kennewick, Washington; Redmond Community Covenant Church in Redmond, Washington; Creston Covenant Church in Creston, British Columbia; Ishpeming Covenant Church in Ishpeming, Michigan; and Lockport Covenant Church in Lockport, Illinois. After retiring in 1995, he continued to serve as interim pastor in Aberdeen, Tacoma, Monroe, and Olympia.
Harold loved all Seattle sports teams and wore their jerseys with pride. He was happiest outdoors, and in his later years rarely left home without a camera in hand. He was a camper, a traveler, and a man always looking for the next adventure and the next thing worth learning. He was, above all, a compassionate pastor with a heart for those in need and a love for music that never left him.
The greatest passion of Harold’s life was his family. He and Arlene shared fifty-seven years together, raised six daughters, and adored a long parade of cats and dogs.
Harold was preceded in death by his wife, Arlene. He is survived by his daughters, Lynn Higbee, Kari Larsen, Roxanne Larsen Nelson (Mike), Diane Westbrook, Kristen Larsen (Chris Hardy), and Julianne Larsen (Alan Mitchell); five grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; and a host of family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes gifts in Harold’s name to The Food Pantry and General Store Clothes Closet at Community United Methodist Church, 130 Church Lane, Port Hadlock-Irondale, WA 98339.
Peace be to his memory.
