Bernadine 'Berniè Loirè (Babby) Larson

RAPID CITY – Bernadine Loirè (Babby) Larson, 74, Rapid City, passed away at Monument Health Hospice House, May 18th, 2023.

Bernie was born on September 1, 1948, in San Francisco, California to Gilbert L. and Cecelia M. (Rivers) Babby.  Before settling in Rapid City, South Dakota in 1981 she lived in Oklahoma, Louisiana, Washington D.C., Arizona, Colorado, Alaska, and Wyoming.

On September 18, 1971, Bernie married Michael (Mick) Larson.  Together they had three children:  Shawn Michael Larson, Lori Loirè Larson, and Trevor Ryan Larson. Bernie was very proud of becoming a grandma and had a very special relationship with all six of her grandchildren.  She enjoyed many special moments with her family and enjoyed sharing in the joys of her grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by her children, grandchildren, family, and friends.

Bernie worked most of her life in civil service.  She started her career in Washington DC in 1970 and then worked at Fort Meade, Sturgis, SD, Department of Housing and Urban Development and Social Security Administration in Denver, Colorado. She returned to Rapid City and worked at Ellsworth Air Force Base, and lastly South Dakota National Guard where she retired in 2008.

Thankful for sharing her life is her daughter, Lori Larson and fiancé Kyle Comes of Rapid City, two sons, Shawn Larson and his wife, Stefanie, of Rapid City, and Trevor Larson, of Rapid City, and step-son Scott Larson of Rapid City, one sister, Wildene Babby, of Rapid City, brother-in-law, Michael (Mike) Berry of Sonora, California, six grandchildren, Brady Larson, Baylee Larson, Brecken Larson, Ella Swanson, Ryan Larson and Jett Schaefer, Aunt Faith Houston, of Rapid City, and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her father Gilbert Babby, mother Cecelia (Rivers) Babby, her brother Fred Babby, sister Arlene (Babby) Berry, her infant sister, her children's father, Michael (Mick) Larson, and Ella's father, Derek Swanson.

Services will be under the direction of Osheim and Schmidt Funeral Home on Thursday, June 8, 2023, at 11:00 am with a luncheon to follow at Marco's Pizza at Meadowbrook Golf Course.