– LEGAL NEWS PHOTO BY DIANA L. COLEMAN
Larry and Clyda Larson at Clyda's retirement party. Clyda is holding the vegetable centerpiece she created for the party.
Larson is smiling even more in retirement
by Diana L. Coleman
Legal News
Clyda Larson retired from the County Clerk’s office the end of 2012 and sailed into retirement.
Larson was always smiling and her beautiful smile and her eagerness to serve greeted customers in the clerk’s office and put them at ease instantly.
For Clyda, retirement just means more time to work on all her crafts, hobbies, and making creative food arrangements, etc. She can make anything and her creations are truly amazing.
Clyda, a native of California, married a local boy and is happily transplanted to Michigan. Clyda calls her husband, Larry, “exceptional.” They live in the Montague area and her parents-in-law live with them.
They have six children and many grandchildren. Clyda says, “Grandchildren are the reason for having children.”
After her retirement from the United States Navy, Larson started with Muskegon County seventeen years ago in the county clerk’s office. She worked for many years as a departmental clerk where her duties included general office and customer service, passports, concealed weapon permits, and serving as the Secretary to the Muskegon County Gun Board. She also tracked and recorded deaths and issued death
certificates and assisted with the backup Jury and Qualified Voters Filing System. Clyda said (in an earlier interview), “The best part of my job is meeting people and the customer services aspects of the job. I am glad when I can help them get the information they need.” She continued, “That customer service is also the worst part of my job when I cannot obtain what the customer wants (mostly due to restriction by law or due to lack of picture ID).”
If you ever applied for a CCW permit in Muskegon County, it was highly likely that Clyda assisted you. She went over instructions, how to complete the application, and exactly what applicants needed to bring with the application, so that things went smoothly for the application when their request was presented to the county gun board. Ever present was her beautiful smile and genuine courtesy that let the customer know that she was there to serve them and truly enjoyed doing so.
Larson retired just before the surge of CCW permits inspired by proposed changes to gun laws — bet she is smiling about that.
Larson is multi-talented and her list of gifts include any kind of handicraft — knitting, crocheting, sewing, woodworking, light mechanics, electrical and home repair, cake decorating — gardening and canning what she and her husband grow, and spectator sports. Her most current venture is “Custom Creations by Clyda.” She makes bracelets, earrings, and necklaces. Her gift of coordinating colors, materials, and shapes makes her beaded creations beautiful.
Larson’s husband’s specialty is cooking and Clyda makes it very clear that she does not cook at all anymore — “My exceptional hubby does all the cooking.” I have seen Clyda’s cakes and vegetable bouqet creations — if she isn’t cooking, she is creating with food. The Larsons produce a line of salsas that are incredibly tasty and they market them locally.
At Larson’s retirement party held in the sixth floor jury room, the food was all provided by that “exceptional hubby” and included a taco bar and some of their amazing salsas. Clyda created the centerpiece from fresh vegetables.
While we all miss her lovely smile in the clerk’s office and halls of the county building, Clyda is surely smiling more broadly now that she has more free time to pursue all of her avocations and spend more time with family and friends. Congratulations, Clyda.
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