Larson was born in
Harlan, Iowa on May 17, 1936. He received his bachelor's and law degrees in 1958 and 1960 from the
University of Iowa. Larson served as county attorney for Shelby County from 1965 to 1970. Larson then served as an Iowa District Court judge from 1975 to 1978. He died in Harlan on April 25, 2018, at the age of 81. ==Personal life==