Alice Mae Larsen Horton

Alice Mae Larsen Horton of Belle Fourche, South Dakota passed away peacefully November 17, 2018 in Belle Fourche at the age of 98, surrounded by love and family.

She was born July 3, 1920 in Valier, Montana the second of four children to Howard and Miriam Larson. The family moved to Brookings, SD where Alice spent her childhood. As a young adult Alice took college classes to learn bookkeeping and short hand. After her schooling she took a job working for an attorney and the contractor who built Ellsworth Airforce Base. Alice's main goal was to receive just enough schooling to get a job.

Alice married Ray Oehler in 1942. Tragically Ray was killed by a sniper in 1944 right after the D Day invasion. Alice was then offered a job to work for the Governor in the finance department. Instead she married Red Larsen, a cowboy and rancher from Southeastern Montana. When Red came calling, he had a handmade saddle for her. She tossed the keys to her 1944 Ford Coup to her younger brother, Gene and said the car is yours, I'm headed to Montana. Their first home was a sheep wagon. Alice commented she would do the laundry and hang it on the sagebrush. She said it was like being on vacation every day. To this marriage they had three children, Mary, Tom and Bill. In 1952, Red and Alice bought the Brink Place on Thompson Creek from Joe Giacometto. Red Larsen passed away suddenly January 5, 1963. After being single for 23 years Alice married Melvin K. "Bud" Horton in 1985. Bud and Alice traveled extensively and attended many rodeos. Bud passed away suddenly in August 1995.

Alice was a lifelong rancher surviving three husbands and raising three children on her own. She loved touring the United States and Canada on senior citizen bus tours. She spent the better part of ten years touring the country. Alice loved making quilts, school bags and knitting stocking caps. She made many quilts that were donated to World Wide relief. Alice was in a quilting club that met weekly for a number of years. The baby quilts she made numbered a remarkable 1289.

She is survived by her three children, Mary (Mark) Hamilton of Belle Fourche, SD, Tom (Cheryl) Larsen of Alzada, MT and Bill (Dona Vold) Larsen of Casper, WY; her brother, Gene (Joyce) Larson of Warrensburg, MO and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.

A Celebration of Mrs. Horton's life will be held Wednesday, November 21 at 1:00 pm at the United Methodist Church in Belle Fourche with Pastor Bob Duemig officiating. Private interment will take place Wednesday at Black Hills National Cemetery with her husband Red Larsen.

An online guest book is available at klinefuneralchapel.com.