Biographical Text
Professor Emeritus of Accounting Raymond Leigh Larson (March 20, 1935-) was born in Spokane, Washington, the youngest son of Gerda and Ward Larson. Both sides of the family were from an agricultural background. Larson's grandparents came to this country from Norway and Sweden in the late 1800s, settling first in Minnesota and the Dakotas before moving to Washington State in the 1890s to 1910. Larson graduated from Rockford High School, Rockford, Washington, in 1953. The school was located in a small agricultural community and consisted of all twelve grades, with about one hundred fifty students total. In 1957, Larson received a B.A. degree in business administration from Washington State College and at the same time was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army, Armor branch. He was employed as a junior accountant with Batty and Forsgren, certified public accountants, in Spokane, Washington, prior to entering active duty in March of 1958. Larson attended the Armor School at Fort Knox, Kentucky, and was then stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington, as a platoon leader and S3-Air with the Second Reconnaissance Squadron, Eighth U.S. Cavalry, Fourth Infantry Division. He was promoted to first lieutenant in 1959. Upon completion of his active duty, Larson spent several years in the reserves, where he switched to Finance Corps and was promoted to captain prior to resigning his commission after eight years of service. Upon completion of active duty, Lawson was also in the financial management training program, General Electric Co., Richland, Washington. Larson returned to Washington State University in 1961 and completed his M.B.A. degree in 1963. He held a teaching assistantship during this time. From 1963 to 1964, Larson was an instructor in business administration at Washington State University and from 1964 to 1965, he was an assistant professor of business administration at Chico State College, Chico, California. Larson married the former Nancy Virginia Turner in Spokane, Washington in 1963. The Larsons have three children and eight grandchildren. One daughter, Shana, is married to Glenn Morris; the couple, along with their four children, lives in Lincoln, Nebraska. Another daughter, Rachel, is married to Timothy Veenendaal. Rachel and Timothy have two children and live in Surprise, Arizona. The Larsons' son, Jared, resides in Harrisburg, N.C., along with his wife, Angela South wick. Jared and Angela have two children. Larson completed his Ph.D. degree in 1968 at the University of Oregon, where he held teaching and student-advising positions from 1965 to 1968. In 1968, Dr. Larson became assistant professor of business administration (accounting) at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He taught classes at both the Boulder, Colorado, campus and the Denver Center, Denver, Colorado. He was also active in various business/accounting seminars during this time. Dr. Larson began his career at Appalachian State University in 1972 as an associate professor of accounting, and was promoted to full professor in 1975. He continued to be involved in seminars for non-university people, in promoting student internships, and in promoting relationships with the accounting profession throughout North Carolina. Larson's major contribution has been assisting accounting students prior to their taking the Uniform Certified Public Accountant's examination. Larson taught a preparation class for twenty-five years and has helped some nine hundred students prepare for and pass this exam. Larson was appointed a visiting professor at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, for the 1977-78 academic year, and he taught at the university for several summers as well. He also offered summer-school classes at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. At Appalachian State University, Dr. Larson served as chair of the Department of Accounting and as the director of the Master of Science degree in accounting. He also was on numerous committees at Appalachian State and made many presentations at local, regional, and national accounting seminars and conventions. Larson has, as well, been active in community activities associated with primary and secondary education in Watauga County. Larson is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and has served as the branch president (pastor) in Boone, North Carolina. He has also been a member of the stake (diocese) presidency in the North Carolina areas of Statesville, Winston-Salem, and Hickory, as well as of the mission presidency in Charlotte, North Carolina. Dr. Larson has acted in various other capacities at both local and state levels. Larson and his wife Nancy are both amateur genealogists and have traced their family lines back to the 1400s and 1500s. Nancy's family came from England and Larson's from Norway and Sweden, where patronymics were practiced. Nancy is primarily active in promoting family history through journals and scrapbooks, while Larson remodels the house (over and over again). They spend several months of the year in their camper visiting their children, and grandchildren, as well as relatives and friends throughout the United States. Sources: Appalachian State University files and personal correspondence. -Dr. Richard D. Howe
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