Lawrence J. Belsvik's Obituary
Lawrence J. Belsvik January 31, 1921 - July 24, 2008 Retired Tacoma police officer and WWII veteran. Member of Tacoma Life Center Church and Tacoma Elks. Survived by wife Virginia and a large loving family. Memorial service will be at 2:00pm Wednesday, 7/30/2008 at Life Center Church in Tacoma, WA. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, 7/29/2008 from 1pm-9pm at Mountain View Funeral Home.
Words from Diane (daughter) read at the memorial...
My father was a loving, upbeat, kind and sweet husband, brother, father, grandfather and great grandfather. He was an outgoing person who loved people. All of us who received his great big bear hugs will never forget them.
He was always optimistic, assuring those who needed assurance that everything would turnout okay.
I feel his mother Petra, had the most influence on his life, giving him that "basic goodness". I personally cannot remember him being in a down mood. Dad just loved life and he got immense pleasure in just living it to the fullest.
I think he would want to be remembered most for his love of family. He left a Christian heritage for his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who all love the Lord Jesus Christ today. That is his best testament.
I would like to read an evening prayer my granddaughter, Dad's great granddaughter, Jessica, prayed when she was four years old.
Dear God,
I love you sooo much that I want to pick a rose beaus you rose again. I am going to stay here. All of those in the Bible are in heaven. I am going to save the rose so I can give it to you when I get to heaven. I won't give it to anyone else.
In Jesus' name Amen
Jessica Tressler
Age 4
2-7-05
Isaiah 45:8
Dad, all of us would like to give you a rose when we meet again in heaven.
We love you Dad!
Words from a Alissa (grandaughter)...
Larry Belsvik was born January 31, 1921 and was a lifetime resident of Tacoma, Washington. He lived at 12th and Pine for the first part of his life and on Oak Street for the latter. His parents were Petra and Lars Belsvik. He has one younger brother named Joel Belsvik who lives in Bellevue, Washington. Larry is a graduate of Stadium High School. After High School he served in the Air Force. Before leaving for the Air Force, his mother asked him to run an errand to the Olson home, where Larry met his first wife Geraldine Olson. He said -Å"it was love at first sight.-
Larry was stationed in Salt Lake City so Geraldine met him down there and they were married. After his time in the Air Force they returned to Tacoma where he joined the Tacoma Police Department. Larry and Geraldine were blessed with their first child named Diane, who was born in 1945. In 1947 they had a son named Loren and in 1949 they had another daughter named Carlene.
He was a wonderful dad who spent his time taking his children to the Daffodil parades every April, camping in the trailer at Seaside Oregon and many other places, water skiing at American lake and salmon fishing at Point Defiance.
During the Puyallup Fair season, he would put his kids on lots of rides and on the last day he would bring home stuffed animals and candy for them. Every once in a while, he loved to surprise them by waking them up at 2 in the morning after his shift at the restaurant Dug Out with a large combination pizza to share, which they never turned down.
He was busy working and raising a family for twenty happy years when in 1969 his first beloved wife Geraldine was diagnosed with breast cancer. Sadly, in 1969 she passed away at the age of forty five.
Words from Hillary (grandaughter)...
Here's the story of a lovely lady and how she met this handsome fellow and how together they became a blended family. Of course, this fellow is Larry and the lady is Virginia, but just how did they meet? Carlene (one of Larry's daughters) and Sheri, (one of Virginia's daughters) were close friends and in 1969 they both went to New York to see the big city. These two young ladies were loving, yet thrifty daughters and to save money the girls would call Larry one night and ask him to call Virginia to tell her they were alright and then the next night they would call Virginia and ask her to call Larry with similar information. When the trip ended, Larry and Virginia were together in the same car to pick the girls up at the airport. Romance bloomed and they were married shortly thereafter, two families were joined and that's how we became the Belsvik...family.
For over 39 years this family shared celebrations at the house on North 27th in Tacoma; lots of birthday parties, summer cookouts took place there but Christmas was the one family event everyone looked forward to.
During these years Grandpa B retired as a Tacoma police officer and then served the city again as a bailiff in the municipal courts. When he retired for the second time it just meant there was more time for traveling and family events. There was even a brief attempt at being an Arizona snow bird retiree couple but eventually the house in Tacoma turned out to be the best place to call home.
As all their kids grew up and their families grew (to date 13 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren) Grandpa and Grandma B enjoyed life together, attending Tacoma Life Center Church and understanding that their blended family was truly blessed by God.
Words from Jennifer (granddaughter)...
Grandpa
Super bowl Sunday
Cadillac's that you only drive on Sundays
The smell of the blue Dotson
Lefsa
The best hugs
Cheek kisses
Tic tacs at church, trips to the zoo
His chair in the living room
A video camera with lights that look like antlers
Pennies for the gumball machine
More than TWO pennies for the gumball machine (shhhhhh don't tell Grandma)
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (for the 50th time)
Making snow cones
Making cotton candy (Grandpa was sooo slow!)
Waffle breakfasts with orange juice AND milk!
Sparkling blue eyes
Ad doorbell that sings -Å"Jingle Bells
Whistling in the car
A weakness for Dairy Queen, caramel corn and Grandma
A perfectly manicured lawn
The Victorian Country Christmas
Picnics at the beach
The candy jar before we went home
Moring haircuts by his person stylist (Grandma)
Unprecedented patience
Elevator music
Fresh picked strawberries from the year
Cherry flavored cough drops
A bowl of macadamia nuts and cashews
Gentleness
Foosball tables, Atari, and pianos
Old Country Buffet
Free food samples
Yellow sweater
Soft hands
Quiet and loving
These are just some of the things that his thirteen grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren will always remember.
Of course some of us were not his -Å"biologically- but if were a -Å"blended family" then none of us knew that! There was just so much love for all of us all the time! In fact it wasn't until I was older that I realized that I was not Norwegian!
So here we are, one big family -" proud to have been blessed with the greatest of patriarchs and best of men (be we just call him Grandpa)
What’s your fondest memory of Lawrence?
What’s a lesson you learned from Lawrence?
Share a story where Lawrence's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Lawrence you’ll never forget.
How did Lawrence make you smile?