Larry Hokanson

NOTE:  Time change of Visitation

Larry Hokanson age 74 of Sauk Centre, Minnesota passed away on Sunday, March 19, 2023. He had a wonderful morning of getting the paper, attending church, and visiting the local golf course before an unexpected heart attack ended his life of service.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 24 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. Mark Botzet officiating. Military honors will be by the Sauk Centre United Veterans Honor Guard. Visitation will be held from 8:30 to 10:45 a.m. Friday at the church in Sauk Centre.

A private inurnment will be on Monday, March 27 in the parish cemetery.

Larry was born July 6, 1948 in Webster, WI. He graduated from high school in 1966 and that summer went to basic training at Fort Polk in Louisiana. He then went to Fort Huachuca in Arizona where he was trained to be a radio operator for the Army. In February 1967, a helicopter dropped him in a rice paddy in Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam, where he and his platoon immediately received enemy fire. Larry recalled firing flares so they could see where their brothers-in-arms were at, and in order to prove his merit that he was a trustworthy American soldier, he was given a single password: “chipmunk”.

Larry was honorably discharged and returned home in September 1968. Not long after, he met and married a blue-eyed, blonde beauty named Kay in September 1972.

Larry was always active in whatever community he lived in. Whether it was city council, church trustee, lector, fire department, VFW, American Legion, or even recess supervisor at Holy Family School, where he was affectionately known as “Mr. Larry”, he proudly served. He also was a popular referee for high school basketball for many years and we can still see him taping up his ankles before each game.

In his life, he loved playing golf, softball, “old man basketball”, and helping his friends at Getty Street. He played countless games of cribbage, successfully converted many of his grandkids into Packers fans, and spent many hours playing Scrabble and Yahtzee with his wife, who sometimes let him win.

Larry is survived by his wife of 50 years, Kay of Sauk Centre, his daughter Mary (Brian) Ruhland of Rockville and their children Ellie and Nathan; his son Kristian (Chrissy) of Sauk Centre and their children Hailey, Mason, Isaac, Isaiah, and Holly; and his daughter Gretchen (Kent) Christen of Sauk Centre and their children Josie and Piper.

Larry loved being a grandpa and was proud of all of his grandkids. He knew family was important and always tried to be at every sporting event, play, and anything where he could cheer them on. We will miss seeing him in the stands.

A special thank you to his wife, Kay, who was there for him and helped him maintain his health as long as possible. And a thank you to the EMTs, sheriff’s department, and ER staff who offered him such wonderful support.