Priscilla J. Larson

PRISCILLA JEAN LARSON

June 2, 1927-January 19, 2018

Priscilla “Pat” Jean Rogers Larson, 90, a resident of Covenant Village of Cromwell for the past 17 years, passed away on Friday, January 19th at Pilgrim Manor Care Center with her family at her bedside.

Priscilla was the first of two children born in Boston, Massachusetts on June 2nd 1927. Her parents, the late Lemuel Rogers and Dorothy (Sewell) Rogers lived in Belmont, Massachusetts where Priscilla grew up and went to Public Schools. Following her graduation in 1945 from Belmont High School, she went to Lesley College and graduated with a teaching certificate. It was during this time that she met her future husband, Warren Larson at the servicemen's center at Tremont Temple Baptist Church. Warren had been commissioned into the Navy as an officer in 1944 and was serving at the Boston Navy Yard. Warren and Priscilla were married on June 21st, 1947 and remained together for 62 years until Warren passed away in June of 2009. Priscilla was a kindergarten teacher for a couple years after graduating from Lesley, and then settled into being a homemaker, mother and artist after their first child was born. Prior to moving to a patio home at Covenant Village of Cromwell in 2001, Priscilla and Warren made their home in Lexington Massachusetts for 45 years where they raised their family.

After her faith and family, artistry on canvas and authorship on paper were Priscilla's passions. God gifted Priscilla in many ways, and she took joy in pursuing her numerous interests. A wonderful mother and homemaker, she helped each of her three children discover and nurture their own passions, to explore the bounds of their imaginations, and to grow in their faith.

Priscilla was well known for her sense of humor and her propensity for playing practical jokes.

Creativity was part of all that she did. She sewed, crafted, made beautiful collages from found objects, made holiday decorations and costumes. Priscilla loved to paint in oils, and she spent years taking lessons to hone her skills. Then she became a teacher herself and held classes in her home. Whether it was a golden sunset, a harbor veiled in fog, or a stormy sea, she sought to capture the beauty of the earth on canvas. She displayed and sold her work in numerous galleries and art shows.

Priscilla was a talented writer and speaker. For many years she presented what she called “chalk talks” during which she gave a talk and then painted a picture based on the subject, while Warren played the piano. One of the subjects was Jesus as the light of the world, and the painting was a lighthouse shining through the fog. Audiences loved watching a painting come to life before their eyes!

She had a heart for sharing her faith in meaningful ways, and her creativity flourished as she found her voice as a writer through stories, articles, and poetry. She was published in numerous Christian magazines and had one book published which was illustrated by her youngest daughter.

One of the great joys of Priscilla’s life was spending summers in their little Victorian “Gingerbread” house on Martha’s Vineyard. Much of her creative life was nurtured there: she could be found painting on the porch (or on the upper balcony to escape the distraction of nosy tourists!), photographing the mist at sunrise on the harbor, or pondering ideas for an article in a quiet grove of oaks.

Priscilla will perhaps be most remembered for her love of deep, meaningful relationships, connecting with others on the spiritual level.  Her most heartfelt desires can be summed up by this plaque she kept on her wall: “Only one life ‘twill soon be past, only what’s done for Christ will last.”

Priscilla is survived by her three children: David Larson and his wife Alicia of Pompano Beach, FL; Wendy Benkley and her husband Bruce of Iron River MI; and Karen Turner and her husband Corey of Mount Pleasant, SC; seven grandchildren: Christina James and her husband Trevor of Grays Lake, IL; David Benkley and his wife Lacy of Billings, MT, Daniel Larson and his wife Kerrie, of Tewksbury MA; Jeffrey D. Larson of Oakland, CA; Morgan,  Anna Rowan and Anders Turner of Mount Pleasant, SC; and five great-grandchildren: Noah and Grace James, Eden and Ezra Benkley, and Summer Larson. In addition to her parents, Priscilla was preceded in death by her sister Carol Carmichael.

The memorial celebration service will be held at Bethany Covenant Church in Berlin on Saturday January 27th at 1 p.m. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Bethany Covenant Church, 785 Mill Street, Berlin Connecticut, 06037.

Expressions of Sympathy for the family may be sent to:

Wendy Benkley
1996 Iron Lake Road
Iron River, MI 49935