Charlene “Char” Achsah (nee Strothman) Larson

It is with deep sorrow that we announce that Charlene “Char” Achsah (Strothman) Larson, a woman who surrounded herself with music, laughter, family and friends, passed this Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2026, on her 89th birthday. She was affectionately known as “GG” to her beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The daughter of Charles Fredrick Strothman, born near Pleasant Grove in Des Moines County, Iowa, and Doris Achsah (Maxwell) Strothman, born near Crawfordsville, Washington County, Iowa, Char was born on the family farm near New London, Iowa. She was one of six active, fun-loving siblings.

Along with helping with farm chores, Char proudly participated in 4-H, winning blue ribbons for steers and heifers, including her reserve champion, Butch. She also earned ribbons in contests with the 4-H New London Lassies, where she served as president for one year, in design, home economics, style review, cooking and baking, canning and flower arranging.

Music, however, was her passion. Twice, she won contests that led to invitations to sing at the Iowa State Fair and other venues. Her talent helped her attend Iowa Wesleyan College, where she majored in music performance and was a cheerleader. There, she met and wed her husband, Dean Randall Larson, on May 12, 1957, in Mount Pleasant, Iowa.

Shortly after their marriage, Charlene and Dean moved to Rockford, Illinois, where Charlene held various bookkeeping positions with Barber-Colman, A.L. Grootemaat & Sons and others, while also helping with a variety of needs at Larson Bros. Sand & Gravel. In Rockford, she gave birth to her sons, Rodney Maxwell Larson and Carey Dean Larson.

In 1977, the family moved to Stevens Point, Wisconsin, where Char and Dean had the opportunity — with help from her brother, Max — to own Central Wisconsin Wholesale Inc., doing business as Duralum Siding and Windows. Char handled the bookkeeping for the company, which they purchased from Louis Aeby and his wife, Treva.

Char’s greatest loves were family, friends, cooking, music and gardening. Long before social networking existed, Char was the social network. She always had food to share — often homemade pickles, maid-rites, pork tenderloins, roasts, casseroles or desserts — and if you left her house hungry, it was your own fault.

She was a natural host, and even when visitors intended to keep a stay or conversation brief, they soon learned they were on Char’s time and might as well sit a while. She loved visiting with people on the deck of the lake house, where she and Dean enjoyed time with friends, especially their carefree group known as the “A Team,” and she later embraced staying connected through Facebook and her cell phone.

Char was also an avid historian who took great pride in her family’s ancestry through the Mayflower Society and the Daughters of the American Revolution, where she was a devoted member for decades. She chaired the Stevens Point DAR chapter’s Good Citizen’s Award Committee and was past regent and corresponding secretary for the chapter.

Until she became ill, Char retained her deep love of music and enjoyed playing boogie-woogie, honky-tonk and ragtime songs on the piano … by ear! Her family fondly remembers sitting beside her as she played complex melodies that amazed them all.

She also loved antiquing and often visited local vintage stores and sales in search of interesting finds. Above all, Char loved connecting with people, whether talking with strangers at the grocery store, meeting friends for brunch or stopping for a beverage and a bite (she loved an occasional Jameson, fish fries and pizza). She was always ready to brighten someone’s day with her jokes, pranks and laughter and will be dearly missed.

Char is survived by her husband, Dean Larson; her sons, Rodney (Melissa Moderson) Larson and Carey (Mary Kay Molski) Larson; her four grandchildren, Kirsten (Kyle) McEachen, Dana (Jake Vargas) Larson, Nicholas Larson and Gabrianne (fiancé Cameron Schultz) Larson; and her three great-grandchildren, Liam McEachen, Elliana McEachen and Khaleesi Vargas. She is further survived by her sister, Carol (Emmit d.) Messer; brother, John (Jerry Ann Edleman) Strothman; sister-in-law, Marylyn Davis (Fred d.) Strothman; and many nieces and nephews and their families.

Char was preceded in death by her sister, Charlotte (Wilbur) Young; her brothers, Max (Jeanne Chaffee) Strothman and Fred Strothman; as well as brother-in-law Bob (Rayanne Moore, Jean McVeigh) Larson and sister-in-law Joyce (Dick, who later married Mary Jane Postlewait) Young. Char is also lovingly remembered by a wide circle of loving friends and neighbors.

Funeral services are private to immediate family members at the wish of Charlene and Dean prior to her passing.

Community members who would like to celebrate Charlene’s life are welcome to honor her legacy through cash contributions or directly to the link below. Donations can be sent to Shuda Funeral Chapels, 3200 Stanley St., Stevens Point, WI 54481. They will be divided between the Stevens Point DAR Good Citizens Award (given to senior students in Central Wisconsin) that Char chaired, the Wisconsin Veterans Home at King sundries drive by our local VFW, and/or used to place DAR and Mayflower Society symbols on Char’s memorial in the future if no designation is provided.

Otherwise, donations can be provided directly to the Fort Winnebago Surgeon’s Quarters restoration project in Portage in which Char’s DAR chapter is participating.