Judith Larson

Judith Wesch Larson joined the Lord on Friday, December 28, 2021.

Judith was born in Denver, Colorado on January 17, 1943 to Gustav and Anne Wesch. She attended Emmaus Lutheran school from 1st Grade through 9th Grade, then attended North Denver High School, and in 1960 graduated 10th in a class of 540 students. Judith was then awarded a scholarship to Knox College in Illinois and after graduating in 1964 with a major in German she was awarded a Fellowship to the University of Chicago. In the autumn of 1965, Judith returned to Denver, and she was hired to teach German at Arvada High School in Jefferson County just outside of Denver. It was there that Judith met the love of her life, Gary Larson and in 1966 they were married. Judith continued teaching German in the Jefferson County Public Schools until 1968 when her husband was hired at New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, New Mexico.

In the early 1970’s, Judith decided she wanted to be a librarian, so she went back to school. In 1975 she received her Master’s degree from Eastern New Mexico University, and was hired as the librarian at Berrendo Middle School. In 1979 she was promoted and transferred to Roswell High School to serve as the librarian.  It didn’t take long for the students to discover that it was a new day for the Roswell High School library. In just two weeks, the students began to fill the library before the start of the school day, which by the way, was a pleasant surprise for the assistant principal. By the late 1990’s, the state educational evaluation committee, the North Central School Evaluating Committee, informed Judy that Roswell High had the best library in the state of New Mexico. In 2001, Judith retired and she and her husband relaxed and did a lot of traveling.

Judith is survived by her husband, Gary, and their two children, Erik Larson and wife, Diana; Kristine Manzanares and husband, Joey. She is also survived by her two grandsons, Gary Allen Manzanares, and Cade Thomas Larson. Judith is also survived by her sisters, Miriam Gatewood and Karen Schaefer, as well as her brother, Gary Wesch.  She was predeceased by her parents and her brother, David Wesch.  Judith is also survived by her many nieces, nephews and cousins.