Dorothy Margaret Larson

Dorothy was born in Flushing, New York to Martha, née Hahn and Edouard Soubiran.  She lived in New York until her graduation from Newtown High School in Queens at 16. She then moved to Miami, Florida in the late 1940’s with her parents.

Traveling was Dorothy’s first love.  One of her favorite memories was a family trip driving from New York to Mexico her junior year of High School.  Another was traveling with her father to visit her family farm in Sérignac, France and a tour of Europe.

Her spirit of adventure led her to learn how to SCUBA dive in the 1950s and was an active member of the Tidemen Dive Club.  Later she took jobs crewing on sailboats in Miami and the Bahamas. She eventually found her way aboard the underwater excavation ship the Sea Diver, Dorothy worked as the ships cook as she sailed and dove the Bahamas, and then Haiti: where the Sea Diver recovered the anchor to the Santa Maria.  Excavation trips then went on to Puerto Rico, the Mediterranean, and Israel, including Caesarea.

During one of her many travels she met the love of her life, Don Larson, in the Bahamas.  They married and lived on Highbourne Cay in the Exuma’s as island managers and ran all operations on the island. This became home as it fit her sense of spirit and adventure.  Her daughter’s Dawn and Diane added to the adventure and the three “Larson Ladies” are still Bahamians at heart.

Later in life Dorothy returned to Miami. She was a founding member of Redeemer Lutheran Church and was active in the Lutheran Woman’s League.  Dorothy was a loving mother who took great pride in her children, instilling them with her love of travel, the sea, and a respect for education. She participated in endless PTA meetings and devoted her time selflessly to church and school.

Later in life Dorothy moved to Oldsmar with her mother.  She joined the Top of the Bay Garden Club, was an inaugural member of the Historical Society, and worked at the Oldsmar Library. She made many friends and her years in Oldsmar were a perfect bookend to a life well lived.

Dorothy is survived by her daughters: Dawn Olson and Diane Haberman. Dawn and her husband Steve Olson, along with their children Hannah and Kyle, reside in Oviedo, FL. Diane and her husband, Jeff Haberman reside in, Oldsmar, FL home.

While we are sad to lose her, we know she’s reunited with her family in the Lord's care.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to Suncoast Hospice, https://suncoasthospicefoundation.org/ways-to-give/  who we give much thanks to their care during her final days or Wekiva Youth Camp (http://www.wekivayouthcamp.org/how-to-help/) which Dorothy supported through the Top of the Bay Garden Club to share her love of nature with her grandchildren.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Dorothy Margaret Larson, please visit our floral store.