JoAnn Larsen

JoAnn Handley Larsen returned to her Heavenly home June 27, 2025 after a long and graceful battle with Lewy Body Dementia.
She was born December 30, 1943 in Hermiston, Oregon to Violet LaDale and Rueben James Handley (stepfather Claude Brown). She was the second of four sisters Carolyn, Wanda and Donna. JoAnn graduated from Nyssa High School and went on to earn her LPN in Nursing.

While working at Utah Valley Hospital she met her dearest friend, Margie Larsen, who then introduced JoAnn to her cousin, Lyle Ellis Larsen. Lyle and JoAnn were sealed for time and all eternity on June 14, 1968 in the Salt Lake Temple. In 1973 they moved to Richfield, Utah to start Larsen’s Ace Hardware. JoAnn enjoyed many years serving her Ace family and those in her community.

JoAnn and Lyle have six children—Lexa, Leanne (Todd) Niemann, Lowell (deceased), Lance (Mandy), Larrin (Suzanne) and Landon (Shandra). What a joyous reunion she has had with Baby Lowell.

JoAnn treasured being a stay-at-home mom. She was very skilled in sewing, cooking, and cleaning. She loved reading, exercising, gardening, memorization, and her guilty pleasure of shopping for clothes. She was a big fan of the Utah Jazz and watching birds—especially hummingbirds. She also loved flowers, Utah red rocks, fireworks and flags. She enjoyed traveling and visited 46 states and 7 countries. She loved camping particularly on the Boulder Mountain and at the family cabin. She cherished doing all these things with her sweetheart of 57 years as well as her children, 15 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. To them she was affectionately known as Grandma Sams. She was a truly amazing grandma and loved her grandchildren dearly.

At the age of 17 JoAnn joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served in the Primary, Young Women, Relief Society, and Scouting. In 2010, Lyle and JoAnn served a mission in the Los Angeles Temple Visitor’s Center. Her super power was Service! There is no way to count the number of people she served. She especially loved serving the elderly. She was extremely selfless and very good at making people feel good about themselves through thoughtful cards and her infectious smile.

She often reminded her family to “Be a peacemaker!”, and to “Be a leader!” She came up with the Larsen family motto “Work hard and be honest!” JoAnn was all those things. She was a ray of sunshine and will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Lyle and family would like to give a special thanks to JoAnn’s many caregivers, including Colbie Brown, Amy Bevilockway, Linda Duell, Janice Berthelson, and the staff at Stonehenge Rehabilitation Center.

Funeral services will be Thursday July 3, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. at the Richfield East Stake Center, 550 North 500 East. Viewings will be Wednesday July 2, 2025 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Magleby Mortuary and on on Thursday morning from 9:30 to 10:30 in the church. Interment will be in the Richfield City Cemetery. Funeral Directors Magleby Mortuary Richfield, Salina and Manti. Online guestbook www.maglebymortuary.com