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HOME > History > History Club > Viola Larson - Life of Esther
Life of Esther
Presentation to the Annandale History
Club
1999
Viola Larson
Viola (Willett) Larson always had a heart for Christian education. As a very young girl in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Viola and her friend Ruth started their careers in child evangelism by holding Bible school in their homes for up to 40 children from their neighborhood. Ruth played the piano and Viola gave the lesson. Even then, Viola told the stories from the Bible instead of reading them. Viola's father bought
"Eggermeyer's Bible Stories" for her. Viola started teaching Sunday school at the age of 13 and taught until she left for St. Paul Bible Institute at the age of 18. Viola and a friend, Janice Sime, began singing and playing together soon after they arrived at SPBI. Janice played guitar and Viola played piano accordion. They were called the
'Willett, Sime Duet," and had many opportunities to perform. While at SPBI Viola spent summers in evangelism conducting Bible school at an Indian reservation near Bena, Minnesota.
Viola graduated from the Christian Education program at St. Paul Bible Institute May 28, 1945,
and two days later married Pastor Wallace Larson. They both worked part time in the kitchen at
the school, and that is where they met. Pastor Wallace Larson had been pastor of Annandale
Evangelical Free Church for 1 1/2 years when they married. (See Viola's story,
"Memories of
Annandale" under 2001 Annandale History Club presentations.)
After her husband's death in December 1986, Viola started working on a new ministry. She
created presentations about women of the Bible, telling their stories in the first person. Viola's
first characterization was Mrs. Noah, followed by Naomi, Martha, Queen Esther, and the widow
from Zarephath (l Kings 7-24). She is currently working on a presentation about Ruth. She also
has a presentation of the Christmas story, Luke 2: 1-20, after which she gives her testimony.
Viola said that when she asked the Lord into her heart in 1934, she was overwhelmed with the
feeling that she had to go into the Lord's work somewhere in the world. Her opportunity came
as a pastor's wife where she contributed through music, Christian education, hospitality in the
church and home, and serving in many other ways.
Viola started working on the Queen Esther presentation in 1989. On a trip to Colorado to visit her son, Viola also visited with Mary Swedberg (formerly of Cokato). A cousin of Mary's husband asked what her next project would be. Viola said that she would be telling the story from the perspective of a mature Queen Esther, whereupon he said that he had a good mature Queen Esther dress for her. He said his late wife had admired it at a shop in Israel 20 years earlier, and he had bought it for her as a surprise. Of course, it
wasn't the kind of dress that one could actually wear anywhere, so it had been hanging in a garment bag in the closet for 20 years. However, the gold dress was perfect for Queen Esther and it fit Viola perfectly.
Viola has presented Life of Esther many times. Viola said that she
doesn't memorize the Book
of Esther, she tells the story.
Notes by Secretary
Annandale History Club