A love celebrated

From left, Father Michael Creagan, pastor of St. Joseph in West St. Paul, says a special blessing on April 30 over parishioners John “Jack” Larson and Lillian “Lil” Larson, who are celebrating 75 years of marriage. Father Creagan called Jack “one of the pioneer parishioners of St. Joseph,” because he helped set up the folding chairs for the first Mass celebrated on Sept. 27, 1942, by Msgr. James Foran at then-Sibley Junior High School — St. Joseph Masses were first celebrated in the school gym. The Larsons expressed their gratitude and happiness about being together the past 75 years. “She’s the most understanding person in the world,” Jack said about his wife. Lil said even when she and Jack faced challenges, “I never thought of anything but getting over it. It was always ‘for better, for worse’ and you stay with it.”