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Judith “Judy” Larson, 84, of Spirit Lake passed away on Thursday, July 30, 2026, at Avera Holy Family Hospital in Estherville.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 7, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Spirit Lake. A rosary will be recited at 4:45 p.m. on Thursday at the Robinson Funeral Home in Spirit Lake, with a visitation to follow from 5-7 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be held in Lake View Gardens Cemetery in Okoboji. Online condolences may left at www.spiritlakefuneralhome.com
Judith Ann (Wagner) Larson was born Nov. 8, 1941, to Lloyd and Grace (Vining) Wagner on a farm near Havelock, where she arrived in the middle of a blizzard. It was so severe that her dad had to take a tractor down the long lane just to bring the doctor and his wife in to deliver her.
As a young girl, Judy was in 4-H, where she developed the leadership skills that would stay with her throughout her life. She loved being around people and treated everyone with love and respect.
Judy attended Rolfe Consolidated School and later married Larry Pullen, going on to complete her GED. They moved to a farm near Rembrandt, where they raised three daughters. Judy was active in her daughters’ activities, serving as a 4-H leader and chaperoning their sporting events.
She was involved with the Guild at St. Joseph’s Church in Sioux Rapids, where she taught CCD and helped with bazaars and turkey dinners. She later served as a Regent for the Catholic Daughters at St. Mary's Church in Storm Lake.
Judy loved to wallpaper and paint which was very therapeutic for her. She sold Home Interiors and Stanley Home Products and she was a member of a very successful bowling team.
Judy married Robert Reis in October 1986. Judy and Bob opened the House of Woods in Storm Lake, where she loved helping customers decorate their homes with her furniture. At Christmas time, Judy would transform herself into Mrs. Claus, making appearances at her store and at the Festival of Trees hosted by the hospital auxiliary, of which she was a member.
Judy’s interests later turned to real estate, and she began working for Century 21. She enjoyed working with her clients and found it rewarding to help them buy or sell their homes. Many of her clients became her friends, and she would greet them with hugs and smiles. After the passing of her husband Bob, she continued in real estate and opened her own RE/MAX office with a partner.
She married Larry Larson on June 8, 2007. Their shared love of boating, fishing and lake life took them to Spirit Lake after she retired in 2010. In retirement, her and Larry would winter in Florida where she enjoyed the palm trees, pelicans and shoe shopping! She loved to decorate her home for every season, craft, scrapbook and dabble in genealogy. She wove her family history into scrapbooks filled with pictures and memories for her grandchildren. At age 80, she wrote and published her first book, sharing the stories of her life.
Judy’s children, their spouses, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were her life. She was their biggest supporter at every activity and cheered the loudest for them. She treasured her time with her husband, Larry.
Those who knew Judy will always remember her infectious laugh and the smile it brought to everyone around her.
Judy is survived by her loving family: husband Larry Larson; daughters, Deb (Jeff) Zerfoss and Joanne (Robert) Brinkman; Larry’s children: Scott (Jessica) Larson, Todd (Trish) Larson and Brenda (Todd) Schwarz; sister Barb Bennett; sister-in-law Pat Wagner; grandchildren: Jacob (Aubrey) Brinkman, Thomas (Justice) Brinkman, Samuel Brinkman, Rebecca (Aaron) Stykel, Mandi Rodriguez, Tyler (Rachel) Schaben, Garrett (Victoria) Schaben, Kayla Schaben, Emma Smith, Brittany, Nate and Carly Larson, Alyssa Harris, Katelyn (A.J.) Smith, Trevor (Brooklyn) Larson, Ashley (Kruz) Knudson, Abigail Schwarz (Aaron Wiersma), Allison Schwarz; many great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Lloyd and Grace Wagner; daughter Kathy Smith; brothers, Denny and Dale Wagner; brother-in-law Kenny Bennett; sister-in-law Delores Wagner; husband Robert Reis; and a great-great-grandchild, Ezra Burleigh.
Memorials may be made in Judy’s name and directed to Avera Hospice in Estherville.
