Mary Jane (Beeson) Larson, age 79, passed away at Heartland Care Center in Marcus, IA, on Saturday, October 17, 2026.

Visitation with the family present will be at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Cherokee, IA, on Friday, October 23, 2026, from 5:00-7:00 p.m. A celebration of life service will be held at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Cherokee on Saturday, October 24, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. Burial will be held at a later date. The Boothby Funeral Home of Cherokee is assisting the family with arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be directed to Songs & Smiles, a nonprofit organization founded and operated by Mary’s niece Sheryl and her husband Eric, with Stacey serving on its Board of Directors. The organization is dedicated to providing support and resources for caregivers of individuals living with Alzheimer’s disease. https://www.songsandsmiles.com/mary-larson

Mary was born March 30, 1947, to Paul “Darrel” and Olive (Dessel) Beeson. She was raised in the Washta, IA, area (known for holding the record as the “Coldest Place in Iowa” and attended Willow Schools. Mary graduated from Willow High School in 1965, where she was active in chorus, softball, pep club, annual and newspaper staff, and the class play.

On August 13, 1966, she married Ray Prokop in Cherokee. They made their home there where she worked as a receptionist at Peterson Motors and the Cherokee Villa. They welcomed children Stacey in 1975 and Teresa in 1980. After the births of her children, Mary stayed home to raise the girls and entered the workforce again once they were both in school. She worked at a variety of local businesses before finding her true work home at Cherokee County Treasurer’s Office in 1994, where she continued to work until her retirement in March 2009. She made lifelong friends there, especially Lynde Lundquist, who remained like a sister to Mary until her passing.

On June 15, 1990, Mary married William “Bill” Larson of Quimby at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Cherokee, and the couple made their home on an acreage north of town. She also welcomed stepdaughter Heather through this union. Bill and Mary loved to fish, geocache, and watch eagles, especially in retirement. They took countless trips together and enjoyed following their grandchildren’s activities as they were able. Mary loved to play cards, especially bridge, and was a member of several different card groups throughout the years. She was always up for a game and a cup of coffee around the kitchen table.

Mary was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at the early age of 62 and battled that illness until her passing. She remained at home with Bill as long as was possible and entered Heartland Care Center in August 2026.

Mary is survived by her husband Bill of Cherokee, daughters Heather Larson of Omaha, NE, Stacey (Kelly) VanBeek of Brookings, SD, and Teresa (Jeff) Friedrichsen of Cherokee; grandchildren William Larson, Emma (Jacob) Beyer, Jacob (Jada) Friedrichsen, Eva Frederick, Sydney VanBeek, and Grace Vostad; great-grandchildren Joseph, Isaiah, Laurel, and Adriana Beyer; brother-in-law Erick (Karen) Larson, sister-in-law Theresa Larson, and her cherished nephews and nieces.

She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings Patricia Meyer-Hentz and Thomas Beeson, brother-in-law LaVern Meyer, and her parents-in-law.