Larry Torson

Larry J. Torson, 97, of Greeley passed away on Saturday, December 12, 2020, at the Greeley Care Home.

A Private Family Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, December 16, 2020, at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Greeley.  Interment will be in the Sacred Heart Cemetery. Military Honors will be presented by the Charles E. Martin American Legion Post #186.

Friends may pay their respects on Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at the church. The family will not be present. Memorials are suggested to the Sacred Heart Cemetery. T.J. Finn and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

For the health and safety of others social distancing and face masks are required for those attending the visitation and funeral.

The Funeral Mass will be lived streamed at https://www.facebook.com/FamiliesInFaithCatholic/

Larry Torson was born to Walter (Pappy) and Anna (Pier) Torson on May 19, 1923. He had 5 older siblings: Emma (Wozny), Ed, Stanley, Helen (Miller) and Vic. As a young boy the family lived on many farmsteads and he attended a number of country schools. Larry enjoyed baseball and hunting upon which the family depended greatly. On hot summer days they would walk to Scotia to go swimming. As a grade schooler Larry was snatched from death's door when Roger Mulcahy transported him to the St. Francis hospital with a burst appendix.  Larry graduated from Greeley Sacred Heart High School In May of 1942.  The day following graduation Larry hitchhiked to Seattle to work in the Shipyards.  Larry volunteered for the Army but became a Navy man when upon induction he was reassigned to the Seabee's.  During the war he was stationed on Adak in the Alaskan archipelago.  Following the war Larry traveled to Guam where he worked for a number or years running heavy equipment.

On November 25, 1950, he was united in marriage to Donna German at St. Michael's Church in Spalding. The young couple first made their home in Burwell, Nebraska where Larry opened a bar. A year later Larry and Donna moved back to Greeley, purchasing a business that they would operate for the next 42 years, Torson's Tavern. Born into this marriage were five children, Terry (wife Jill Wood) of Kearney, Jerri Anne Torson of Port Townsend, Washington, Katie Diessner (partner, Mike Dugan) (husband Dan deceased) of Spalding, Mary McGuire (husband Mark) of Greeley and Gina Torson of Lincoln. Larry was grandfather to seven, Amy Tressler (Rob) and Tracy Wegner (Dan), Sarah Maxson (Chris), Morgan Bailey (Leland), Terry Torson, Bridget Torson (Kwaghfan), and Tiffany Feilmeier (Dan); and great-grandfather to 13, Matteo, Malia, Ethan, Kate, Bri, Beth, Marah, Porter, Elias, Felix, Julian, Lucy and Charlotte.

Larry was always moving at a high rate of speed.  He enjoyed gardening, hunting, fishing, collecting antiques and coins, working outside, and walking.  Some of his greatest joys in life came from watching his children and grandchildren compete in sports.  His interest in sports never waned. He always made sure that he was positioned in front of the TV to watch Husker women's volleyball and basketball games. It was rare indeed for Larry to miss an episode of The Price is Right, Jeopardy or the evening news. Larry and Donna loved to compete in cards, checkers, jeopardy and ping pong. Larry knew better than to challenge Donna in ping pong or jeopardy. With his children he shared many stories of what life was like during the Great Depression and the Dirty Thirties. Recently, he enjoyed the FBI Missions he and Bugs conducted around town.

Larry's real labor of love was Torson's tavern or as it was called at home "The Beer Joint". Larry so enjoyed the people who made it their regular stop. The regulars spanned the gamut from a preschooler buying bubble gum to residents from the nursing home shuffling up the street to play cards.  Some of the masses you would know as teachers, lawyers, clergy, grade school and high school kids, law enforcement, farmers, bankers to name but a few. For people returning home to Greeley county Torson's was a destination first stop to eat a couple of Torson's Hot Dogs and to visit with Larry. He so enjoyed seeing people; watching kids grow up and succeed and being part of and hopefully touching everyone's lives.

Though it wasn't school, there were life lessons taught at Torson's Tavern.  Students in 9th grade could open a charge account, proper language was the expectation, there were lectures about doing your school work, and making sure that all who entered were treated equally.  Larry always had a very special spot in his heart for those who were less fortunate.

Though the building is gone the stories abound.  The recipe for the almost mythical Torson Hot Dogs has been lost but not the memory of how they tasted.  What remains in abundance is the goodwill and friendship that was dispensed with every order, even the 5 cent cup of coffee.  In a silent moment you may still hear Larry say,   "Anyone up for a game of cards? I have time for a game".  Rusty, John and Fritz will come running for a pinochle game.

Larry and Donna loved to dance and dance they did!  Oh to see two people float with such style and grace was a blessing indeed. But the dance Donna and Larry cherished most was that first dance that fell but 76 days short of 66 years. Faith and Church were always at the core of Larry's life. He Accepted the Blessing of the Sacred Heart and Closed the Book of Life to be in Heaven with Christ at Last.

Larry was preceded in death by his wife, Donna; mother and father, Walter and Anna; sisters, Emma and Helen; brothers Ed, Stanley and Vick; son-in-law, Dan Diessner; sister-in-law & brothers-in-law, Annetta & Bob Lee and Dick German.