Margot Viola Florell was born December 1, 1906, in Minnetonka Beach, Minnesota, to Charles and Evelyn (Bodin) Huntsberger. She was raised in Minnetonka Beach and graduated from Wayzata High School in 1923.
After her education she rode the trolley back and forth to downtown Minneapolis to work as an operator for Bell Telephone. She married Phillip Larson in 1927 at Messiah Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. After marriage they made their home in South Minneapolis. Phillip passed away in 1947.
After his death, Margot worked various jobs including at Dayton’s, for the local grocery store, and as caterer and housekeeper. She married Stanley Florell on May 5, 1950 at Messiah Lutheran. After marriage they built a home in Richfield. Margot worked for several years as a waitress at the Heidelberg Restaurant in Richfield and later at DeLaria’s Restaurant/Delicatessen in Southdale. In 1961, the Crosstown Highway was constructed through Richfield, requiring Stanley and Margot to sell their home and they moved to Edina. She retired in 1975 and remained in Edina until moving to the Presbyterian Home on Lake Minnetonka complex in 1996. Stanley passed away in 1998.
In December 2003, Margot moved to Grand Marais to be near her daughter LeeAnne.
Margot was once an active member of Messiah Lutheran Church, a member of the Franklin Ladies Club, and a member of the Richfield Garden Club. She enjoyed gardening, and while living in Richfield she always maintained a huge garden. She was very family oriented and loved to care for her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Survivors include her son, Donald Larson of Mercer Island, Washington; her son-in-law, Robert Lund of Grand Marais; her daughterin law, Jean Larson of Northfield; nine grandchildren: David (Ilona) Larson of Bellevue, Washington, Mark (Carol) Larson of Tucson, Timothy (Melanie) Larson of Mercer Island, Kathy (Brad) Ness of Northfield, Karen (Michael) Lane of Northfield, Jon (Kyoung) Larson of Macomb, Michigan, Laurie Bradley of Grand Marais, Jon Duede of Los Angeles, Melissa Lais of Minneapolis; 18 great-grandchildren; one greatgreat grandson; and other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by two husbands, her son Gerald, her daughter LeeAnne Lund, her daughter-in-law Jeanne Larson, her brother Clarence, and her sister Florence Sterne.
Margot passed away Tuesday evening, June 19, 2012, at North Shore Care Center in Grand Marais, at the age of 105½.
Services will be held at a future date. Interment will be in Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis.
Arrangements are with the Benson & Langehough Funeral Home. www.northfieldfuneral.com.
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