Christine Ann Larson

She was born July 28, 1948, to Roger and Lucille Larson in Colfax because her hometown of Pullman did not have a public hospital. She was raised in Pullman and attended public school there, graduating from Pullman High School in 1966. Chris graduated from Pacific Lutheran University in 1970 and she obtained her degree in physical therapy from the United States Army Medical Field Service School. Following graduation in San Antonio, she was stationed as a first Lieutenant at Letterman Army Hospital at the Presidio in San Francisco where she began her professional life.

In 1972 she joined her father in his physical therapy practice in Pullman and continued to work there until she moved to Spokane to become the Director of Rehabilitation for Family Home Care (FHC). She was active in the Washington State Physical Therapy Association and was the P.T. of the Year for Washington State in 1996. She was appointed to the State Physical Therapy Licensing Board (by three different governors) and served nine years, three as Board President. Chris left FHC to return to private practice in Post Falls and eventually created a return-to-work fitness and consulting program for industrial medicine for Eagle Rehabilitation. In 1997, Chris left physical therapy and began working for the Area Health Education Center at WSU Spokane as a project manager, researching how to recruit and retain primary care providers for rural underserved communities. She left Washington State to become the Director of Professional Standards for the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy in the D.C. area and served in that position prior to her retirement in 2007.

During her tenure in Pullman, Chris was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church, where she was the leader for the high school youth group, S.P.L.A.S.H. Chris supervised trips to national youth gatherings and initiated an annual family camp for the TLC congregation at Camp Larson, a camp for disabled children founded by her father. She was a member of the Board of Regents at Pacific Lutheran University and was also elected to serve on the Board of Directors for Holden Village serving for 12 years, two years as President.

Following her retirement, Chris moved to Green Bay, Wis., to be with her lifelong partner, Catherine A. Henze. Catherine and Chris met at Holden Village and were married there in 2017 surrounded by family and friends from across the country. Chris and Catherine are active members of the local Friendship Force (FFEWNI) and traveled around the world with friends from FFEWNI in addition to welcoming people from all over the world to Spokane and into their home.

Chris is preceded in death by her parents Roger and Lucille Larson, her sister Mary Larson Eng, and her brother Ole Larson. She is survived by her spouse, Catherine Henze (daughter Jamie Leigh and grandson River), her sister Margi Vogel (s. Rodney), her nephew Matthew Eng (s. Lauren and children Kaarin and Larson), her nephew Nathaniel Eng (s. Maggie and sons Albert and Charlie), and her niece Grethe Wood (s. Justin, and daughter Lucy).

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church or Holden Village. A celebration of life will be held at St. Mark’s Lutheran in Spokane, WA on July 28. The service will also be live streamed; please contact the church for details. Written condolences preferred at http://obituaries.neptunesociety.com