Larry Neil Poulsen

On Wednesday, February 15, 2017 the family of Larry Neil Poulsen lost a great patriarch, and the world lost a good man. He passed quietly, surrounded by his large and loving family. We have no doubt that his own father and mother, whom he had so missed of late, greeted him on the other side.

Larry Neil Poulsen was born in Liberty, Idaho to Edgar and Laretta Jacobsen Poulsen. The seventh of ten children, dad grew up on a farm in Bear Lake, Idaho where he learned to work hard, value family, and love the gospel of Jesus Christ. He graduated from Fielding High School and served an LDS church mission in the North Central States Mission, serving in Canada. While thus engaged, his parents moved to Logan, Utah. Upon his return, his new bishop introduced him to his beautiful daughter, Mignon. And marrying her was the best decision of his life! He spent the next sixty-five years showing his posterity how a good man fulfills his responsibility to his wife, his children, and his grandchildren.

Valuing education, dad attended Ricks College, Utah State University, and Brigham Young University, receiving Bachelor and Master degrees. During his honorable military service in Korea, he learned and taught Morse Code.

Dad was an employee of the Church Education System of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, teaching seminary for the duration of his career. In retirement, he served a second church mission in the West Indies Mission with his wife.

Dad spent his time doing the things he loved, including wood working, reading, learning, teaching, studying the scriptures, watching BYU sports, and spending time with his family.

There are so many things we would like to share about our dad, but he wanted us to be brief. Surely, his testimony of the gospel is his greatest legacy! He lived, loved, studied, and taught the gospel of Jesus Christ. He testified of God at every opportunity, that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that the gospel was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith, that the Book of Mormon is God's word, and that living prophets are the mouthpiece of the Lord today. His counsel and advice usually included gospel principles, together with encouragement to review scripture. He lived his life according to his beliefs and walked in truth and light. His life was a life of service, his legacy is the way he lived his life as a man of God, and his love for his family has supported and sustained his family, and will continue to do so as he will never be far away.

We love you dad! We will miss your smile, your drumming fingers, and the stories of your youth. You will always be in our hearts and minds. We will always be proud to be your children, and we will never forget the things you spent your life teaching us.

He leaves behind his wife: Lois Mignon Waddoups; six children: Teri (Stephen) Bunker, Lisa (Blair) Cowley, Victor (Jeri) Poulsen, LaMont (Mary-Ellen) Poulsen, Karen (Grael) Barker, and Diane (Jeff) Kanamu; forty-two grand children; and forty-eight great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, at 1 p.m. at the Green Canyon Ward chapel, 2540 N. 400 East, North Logan, with a viewing from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Interment will follow at the Smithfield City Cemetery. Condolences may be shared online at www.nelsonfuneralhome.com .