Obituary
Carl A. Larson

Carl Albert Larson, a long-time resident of Hickory NC passed away in Raleigh, NC on February 18, 2026. Born July 28, 1927 in Springfield, Massachusetts, he is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 64 years, Marianne Cioppa Larson, father John Daniel Larson, mother Doris Mecum Larson, and sister Barbara Larson Sauve. Carl is survived by his children, Peter J. Larson of Durham, NC, Beth A. Larson of Mooresville, NC, Robert C. Larson and his wife M. Elizabeth Hodgson of Raleigh, NC, Timothy A. Larson and his wife Jennifer Rizzo Larson of Blowing Rock, NC, and Mark E. Larson and his wife Vicky Landrum Larson of Raleigh, NC. In addition, he is survived by his brother Donald Mason Larson and his wife Inara Gabalins Larson of Manchester, CT. Surviving grandchildren are Kate Crisp York and her husband Nathan of Mooresville NC, Carl E. Larson and his wife Elizabeth M. Walter of Raleigh, NC, Stella Larson of Portland, OR, Nicholas Larson of Chicago, IL, and Timothy John (TJ) Larson of Raleigh, NC. He also leaves behind two great-grandchildren, Mia and Nora York.

Carl grew up in Longmeadow, MA where he attended trade school. In the closing days of World War II, he enlisted in the US Navy on his 18th birthday and was trained in the newly created position of radar operator. The war ended while he was still in boot camp. To his chagrin (as he told it) he had to serve out his entire three-year tour whereas, if he had been drafted, he would have been discharged much sooner. He attended Union College in Schenectady, NY on the GI Bill, where he met his future wife, Marianne Cioppa. He graduated from Union College in 1954 with a degree in Electrical Engineering.

The couple married on June 27, 1954, and Carl began his career as a distribution engineer for Hartford Electric Light Co. He worked for HELCO as his family grew and moved through a series of homes in Connecticut. Summer vacations were spent with friends and family in the New Hampshire Lake Region on Crystal Lake; vivid memories live on in the hearts of his children.

In 1970 Carl made the decision to make a mid-career employment change to General Electric Co., moving the family to Lenox, MA. In short order he was transferred to Hickory, NC. They spent much of their summers camping in the NC mountains, and in 1982 purchased a small lot in the Boone, NC area and constructed a log cabin vacation home. The majority of the interior finish work was performed by Carl, and his friends and family. Many wonderful family memories were created in this mountain retreat over the years.

Carl retired from a distinguished career at GE in 1989 following which he and Marianne enjoyed travel and socializing with their close circle of friends. A favorite retreat was their annual month-long trip to Murrell’s Inlet, SC where they entertained friends and family and enjoyed the peaceful solitude of the coast in autumn. Carl contributed to the community by volunteering at church, singing in the church choir, teaching English as a Second Language, and doing woodworking projects at Habitat for Humanity. He was also able to devote more time to his lifelong interest in woodworking, creating many pieces which are now treasured family heirlooms.

Carl will be remembered as a humble, gentle, kind man with an off-beat sense of humor that could show up randomly to the appreciation of (almost) all.

The family will receive friends on February 25 at 9am at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Hickory, NC followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 am. Inurnment will be at the church columbarium following Mass, reception at the church to follow..

The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations in Carl’s memory be made to the Catawba Valley Habitat for Humanity (https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/CatawbaValleyHabitatforHumani/donate.html) or the Marianne and Carl Larson Memorial Scholarship in Wood at Penland School of Craft (https://fundraise.givesmart.com/e/-jKGdg?vid=1ou36t). Please sign the online guestbook at www.jenkinsfuneralhome.net