Melba Larson was born Jan. 31, 1933, to Olga B. (Karlstad) Wold and Helmer P. Wold in Watford City, North Dakota.  She moved with her family to Bemidji, MN 1946-49, then back to the Karlstad family farm in ND, graduating in 1951 from Dakota Lutheran High School, Minot, ND.

Melba pursued her college degrees by working as many as five part-time jobs simultaneously, graduating 1953 from Waldorf College, Forest City, IA (a junior college at the time) where she earned a teaching degree. She then studied at bible school in California before going on to Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, majoring in History and Music, and graduating in 1958. While at Concordia she toured with the college choir and was in a group called Mission Ambassadors “intended for Cobbers who are planning to be missionaries or who are very interested in the needs of various mission fields.”

In 1958 she made her first global mission trip, traveling to Europe with a volunteer group, working on a rural development project in France and then traveling around Europe with fellow volunteers. 

In 1959 she was working at the American Lutheran Church headquarters in Minneapolis, MN in the world missions office, when she was introduced via mutual friends to Lyle Edwin Larson who was studying at Luther Seminary in St. Paul. Within a year they were married: on April 9, 1960, they said their vows at Immanuel Lutheran Church, St. Paul MN. By the time Lyle graduated from seminary and was ordained as a minister, they had their first child and a call from the American Lutheran Church to join its mission in Tokyo, Japan. Which, after Lyle got over his surprise at being asked to go to Japan again (where he had been stationed with the U.S. Air Force), and with Melba’s encouraging support, they both accepted.

During their cumulative 25 years in Japan, Melba gave birth to two more children, taught English part-time for many years, was the undeniable favorite of the family dog, and enjoyed singing in every church choir, especially at St. Paul International Lutheran Church in Tokyo. She made many friends in Tokyo including among the expat community, and in retirement was able to fulfill more travel dreams like making multiple trips to visit friends in Australia, China, Singapore, Malaysia and Switzerland.   

After returning to the United States in 1985, and a year in Niagara Falls, NY where Lyle served as interim pastor, Melba and Lyle moved to Scarsdale, NY where Lyle was installed as pastor of Grace Lutheran Church until his retirement in 1994. They immediately felt at home, as the proximity to Manhattan and the considerable Japanese expatriate community drew on many of their experiences in Tokyo.

Once in the New York metropolitan area, Melba found new work opportunities to contribute her education and experience. After a part-time position at Pace University’s law school in White Plains, NY, she joined the world mission office of The Episcopal Church headquarters in New York City, across from the United Nations.  While working for the Episcopal Church from 1989 to 1997, she supported  missionaries around the world including traveling to Panama, Kenya, and Uganda.

After moving to Washington, MA in the Berkshires following Lyle’s retirement, she continued to commute to NYC for three days each week for a few more years before she retired.  She loved to sing in the choir at Zion Lutheran Church, Pittsfield MA, and was an active participant in four book clubs. Her love of the Berkshires included regular trips to Tanglewood concerts, hiking the Appalachian Trail while picking berries, and both downhill and cross country skiing. As Lyle told one of her children who was only joking about how they could have retired to a warmer climate: “Your mother loves the snow too much.” At their home in the hills of the Berkshires, it seemed to snow almost every day during peak winter months. In the spring they made maple syrup from the trees on their property.

After moving to Amherst in 2011, she was an active member at Immanuel Lutheran Church and represented the church in the Interfaith Opportunities Network which connected local houses of worship. By moving to Amherst where their son’s family had moved, she and Lyle were able to attend the many sports, music and other school activities of their three grandchildren Edward, Catherine and William.

Melba Larson is survived by daughter Susan; son Nathanael, his wife Elizabeth and three grandchildren; and daughter Rachel. She is also survived by her brother Carmen Wold of Watford City, North Dakota. She was preceded in death by her husband Lyle, brothers Harold Wold and Ralph Wold, and by her sister Pearl Marian Njus.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00am Saturday June 15, 2024, at Chapel of the Incarnation, Olson Campus Center, Luther Seminary, 1501 Fulham Avenue in St. Paul, Minnesota, with Rev. Jeffrey Johnson officiating. Interment will be the following day in Newman Grove, Nebraska.

Memorial guestbook at www.douglassfuneral.com