Robert Wayne Larson was born April 19, 1945 in Medicine Hat Alberta. He was raised south of Mankota and later in Val Marie. In 1969 he married Colleen Maxwell of Hazenmore. They had two children. Lennie Dawn was born in August of 1969 and on August 5, 1995 she married Dwight Gavelin from McCord. They live in the Mankota district. Lennie works for CIBI, the local health clinic and Dwight ranches and also worked as a pasture ride for a community pasture for many years. They have four daughters Ashlyn Dawn, born in 1985 and Kylie Dawn, born in 1994.
Jody Wayne Larson was born in 1973. He married Shelly Duquette of Val Marie in September of 1994. they have two sons. Both Jody and Shelly work for Parks Canada.
Colleen and Bob divorced in 1983 
and Bob remarried Bernadette Hataley from Arran, Sask. in September 1986. They had two children Heather Robyn Marie, born April of 1987 and Myros Leonard Wayne, born July 1988.
Larson, Robert Wayne and Coleen (Maxwell) and Bernadette (Hataley)
Robert was born in Medicine Hat, Alta. April 19, 1945, the eldest son of Dorothy Ruth (Walker) and Lenard Wayne. He grew up south of Mankota, Sask. on his parents’ ranch (Hazelwoods) with two younger brothers Wally and Kenny.
Attending school at Wideview, Aloha and Val Marie, Sask. Bob was educated to grade sever. He quit school to pursue his passion for ranching and rodeo. He married Coleen of Hazenmore, Sask. Jan. 25, 1969. They had two children Lennie Dawn Aug. 10, 1969 and Jody Wayne Sept. 18, 1973.
Bob and his mother Dorothy went into partnership purchasing land to connect to the existing ranch. Len died tragically in June 1969.
Coleen and Bob commuted back and forth to Val Marie and Mankota, living in Val Marie in winter and Mankota in summer.
Lennie Dawn began elementary school in Val Marie, completing kindergarten and grade one. The family permanently moved to Mankota and enrolled both children in Mankota School. Bob continued to commute to Val Marie for irrigation and haying. Between 1979 and 1980 Bob started working for his grandfather Walt Larson as ranch foreman. The ranch was sold to Parks Canada in 1984 and became part of Grasslands National Park.
In 1982 Bob and Coleen divorced. Bob raised Lennie and Jody in Mankota. He continued to raise Black Angus cattle and won many awards from the Black Angus Cattle Assoc. Bob also sub-contracted many professional and amateur rodeos including Little Britches, high school and Indian Assoc. His passion for rodeos led him to many places where he met many friends. Bob was honored in the late 1990’s by the Canadian Western Agribition for ‘Cowboy of the Year’ as well as numerous awards for his rodeo stock.
On Sept. 23, 1986 Bob married Bernadette of Aaron, Sask. Heather Robyn Marie was bordn April 30, 1987 and Myros Lenard Wayne July 25, 1988. Bob and Berni moved a home into Mankota in 1987. The children were involved in hockey, figure skating, 4-H, baseball and many school sports. Bernie taught school until 1990. Bob continued to rodeo throughout the 1990’s. He took great interest in the Sask. High School Assoc. encouraging rodeo for youth. In 2000 Bob took employment at the Red Coat Cattle Feeders as a pen checker, a job he always said he wished had come his way 20 years earlier. Bob was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in summer 2001. He died Aug. 27, 2002. Funeral services were held at the Bryan Trottier Arena in Val Marie. Bob is buries in the Val Marie cemetery.
Berni continues to live in Mankota. Heather has completed two years of university in Saskatoon. Myros, like his dad, has a passion for rodeos and continues to raise rodeo stock. He is studying agriculture at Olds College in Alberta.
Lennie and Jody purchased the ranch from Bob in 1998.
In 1995 Lennie married Dwight Gavelin of McCord, Sask. They reside south of Mankota. Dwight is manager of the Mankota Community Pasture and Lennie works at the Prairie Health View Centre there. They have four daughters Ashlyn, Kylie, Skyla and Halley.
For Jody’s history see Larson, Jody and Shelly (Duquette).