Dana Marie Larsen

October 1, 1955 ~ February 18, 2020

Dana M. Larsen, 64, Brandon, died Tuesday, February 18, 2020, at the Dougherty Hospice Home in Sioux Falls.

Memorial Services will be 1:00pm, Saturday, February 22, 2020, at Heartland Funeral Home, with a visitation beginning at Noon.  Inurnment will follow at Rosehill Cemetery in Viborg, SD.

In lieu of flowers, Dana’s family requests memorials be given to the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society in her memory.

Dana Marie Larsen was born October 1, 1955, along with her twin sister, Debbie, in Viborg, SD and attended school in both Sioux Falls and Brandon before graduating from Brandon Valley High School as a member of the National Honor Society. Dana went on to study by attaining a BA in Business Administration at University of Sioux Falls, a Masters of Science in Information Systems at Dakota State University, and doctoral studies in Leadership at the University of St. Thomas. Dana was an Information Scientist with EROS Data Center for nearly 27 years, a Modeling and Data Analyst for Wells Fargo, and a Senior Programmer at Berkley Information Services. After Dana retired, she became a Substitute Teacher for the Sioux Falls School District. 

Dana loved to help people, and would go to any length she could for both strangers and friends alike. Her sparkling eyes and kind smile greeted anyone she met with a beautiful welcoming presence, and her hugs were legendary. She regularly volunteered in church and community settings, including teaching Sunday School and Confirmation classes, leading youth trips, serving as a child advocate through Sioux Falls CASA, providing emergency assistance for the American Red Cross, teaching Junior Achievement classes, helping with Habitat for Humanity projects, and serving as a Division Governor for Toastmasters International. She loved working alongside others to accomplish big projects, and could be counted on to lend a hand wherever and whenever it was needed. She was a dedicated member of several communities of faith: first as a young member of Brandon Lutheran Church, then at Beaver Valley Lutheran Church in Brandon, and most recently, at Messiah New Hope Lutheran Church in Sioux Falls. Her love of all living beings extended to animals as well. She was passionate about horses from a young age, as well as completely devoted to her rescue dogs throughout her life. 

Dana will be deeply missed by her daughter, Nicole Monahan, Columbus, OH; her step children from her second marriage, Jennifer (Matt) Croteau, Coon Rapids, MN, and Bryan (Misty) Nelson, Sioux Falls, SD; two sisters, Debbie Larsen, Plano, TX, and Allison (Skylar) Hiebert, Vancouver, WA; one aunt, Opal Larsen, Viborg, SD; and beloved friend Bill Reeder. 

Dana was preceded in death by her parents, Dewayne Larsen and Mary Lou (Hardy) Eckman. 

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