Patricia (Barnell) Larsen

In lieu of flowers please donate to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints Missionary Fund.

Carmen Patricia Barnell Larsen was born 20 March 1953 in Tillamook, Oregon, to William Neil and Carmen Gantenbein Barnell. Her parents had a dairy farm, and later leased a cafe in Nehalem, Oregon. She attended first grade in Nehalem where she was supposed to learn how to swim. When she was five years old however, she nearly drowned in the ocean and it gave her a fear of water. Her family came to Wyoming in 1960, when she was seven. They purchased the Buffalo Station and Cafe in Alpine and ran it until 1971. Patty attended school in Etna and Afton. She graduated in 1971, then completed a semester of Nursing training at Casper College, after which she married the love of her life in 1972. She was blessed with four children, of whom she joked, I have a beautiful daughter and three Eagle Scouts! Patty married Kevan Larsen on 4 February 1972, lived in Alpine for 4 years, then they helped her dad built their home together in Thayne, in 1977-78. She helped Kevan get out the logs for some of the house lumber, and other work on her home. She will forever be known for her extraordinary arts and crafts talent. She was an Artex dealer. She made hundreds of neckerchief slides for her Cub Scouts, with ingenious designs, materials and shapes. As and expert wedding cake maker for many years, she was a perfectionist, and never intimidated by fountains, huge cake designs, or specialty custom designs. Many a bride told her definitely million dollar quality, for a very inexpensive rate. Patty also accumulated over 75 specialty birthday cake pans, but used many to custom design cakes for specific people or occasions. Truly innovative. Patty spent over 35 years working in Cub Scouts or Boy Scouts in many positions, especially training other leaders. In 2004 she was awarded the Silver Beaver, to add to the plethora of other awards, recognition, and achievements. She was a Troop Guide for the BSA Woodbadge courses, and several men told her “I'd have never gotten my Beads if it wasn't for you!” Yes, she loved scouting, and even when boys were grown, they were still “her boys.” She maintained one copy of each of the few hundred different neckerchief slides she made for each boy for their special meetings. As an expert seamstress, Patty won many blue & purple ribbons on her quilts. On short notice for a family reunion, she quilted a queen-size quilt, by herself, in one week –and her stitches were small, tight, and straight. She was a key component in the family's satellite TV business for 26 years, and obtained certification as an authorized Primestar and DirecTV installer. Patricia had a deep and abiding love for, and strong testimony of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and his Atonement. She served three senior missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, with her husband, each being eighteen months. First was a Military Relations assignment, as the first couple into Fort Stewart, Georgia in January 2007. Second was at the Los Angeles Family History Regional Library 2013-2014. Third was another Military Relations mission to Vicenza Army Base, Northern Italy. She was an absolute blessing to those military families, and she called it “Serving America's Best!” She had planned another mission, but her health would not allow it, as in June 2018 she was officially diagnosed with ALS – Lou Gehrig's Disease. She told everyone she'd had a wonderfully good life, and was very happy to be moving on. As of July 2018, she had attended 100 different LDS temples in 13 different countries. She is survived by her husband Kevan, in Thayne, sons Kevan Tory (Deborah) Honeyville, UT, Brenyun, Idaho Falls, Shilo Rose Alten (Nick) Idaho Falls, and Kent in Beulah, WY, four grandchildren, Kayden Larsen, Jaron Larsen, Kent Larsen Jr, and Soraya Larsen. Graveside services are scheduled for Saturday, 9 March 2019 at 12 Noon at the Thayne Community Cemetery. Viewings / Meet-and Greet will be held on Friday, 8 March from 6 to 9 PM, and again on Saturday from 10AM to 11:45AM at the Thayne Wyoming Stake Center. In lieu of flowers please donate to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints Missionary Fund.