Larry Jansen, 75, of Grinnell, died Monday, Oct. 3, 2022, at his home. A funeral service was held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, Oct, 7, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Grinnell. Interment with military honors was at Hazelwood Cemetery. A luncheon followed at Grinnell Mutual Reinsurance in the south conference area. Memorials may be designated to the Larry Jansen Memorial Fund to benefit local organizations selected by the family and should be mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home, PO Box 368, Grinnell, IA 50112.
Larry Joseph Jansen was born the son of Charles and Doris (Snyders) Jansen on June 6, 1947, in Marshalltown. He was raised on the family farm near State Center and graduated from West Marshall High School in 1965. Larry received his bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Iowa and obtained the Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation. He honorably served in the Army National Guard of Iowa and was discharged on June 8, 1975.
In 1969, Larry met the love of his life, Echo Peer, when he started his first job out of college at Hawkeye Security Insurance Company. Larry and Echo were united in marriage on July 24, 1971, at the United Methodist Church in Des Moines. Their marriage was blessed with a son Justin who was born in 1980.
Larry accepted a position at Maryland Casualty Insurance Company before moving to Grinnell Mutual as a Personal Lines Underwriting Manager in 1979. He was later promoted to Regional Underwriting Manager, Regional Vice President, Senior Vice President of Underwriting and Production, President of Grinnell Select Insurance Company, and President of Grinnell Specialty Agency. In 2012, Larry was named President of Grinnell Mutual. Following leadership changes and three years of unprecedented storm losses, Larry used his experience, vision, and energy to develop a strategic plan to make necessary financial changes to reengage both customers and employees. Under Larry’s leadership, Grinnell Mutual was recognized for seven straight years as one of Iowa’s Top Workplaces. In 2014 and 2017, Larry was recognized by Iowa’s Top Workplace as the top leader in the large company category. In 2018, Larry was inducted into the Iowa Insurance Hall of Fame.
Within the insurance industry, Larry has been instrumental in the establishment and continuation of the Iowa Fair Plan, the Mutual Association of Iowa, and the Iowa Automotive Insurance Plan. Larry’s accomplishments at Grinnell Mutual over the past 38 years are many and his vision and innovative leadership extend to the community of Grinnell, where he supported the Grinnell Regional Medical Center, Grinnell United Way, Grinnell-Newburg Community School Board, St. Mary Parish, Leadership Iowa, and Grinnell Mental Health Board. Larry’s enjoyments included playing golf followed by a game of pitch, attending and supporting local events, serving on area boards, and going out for dinner. He will be remembered for his collection of bow ties, for implementing positive change, and for dreaming big and living big.
Larry is survived by his wife of 51 years Echo Jansen of Grinnell; son Justin (Danielle) Jansen of Honolulu, HI, and their son Leo and daughter Mayu; sister Leanne Jansen and Mike Pfantz of Omaha, NE; sisters-in-law April Severino, Carlin Peer, Clover Kirschbaum, and the their families; and their extended family Scott and Kasey Herbers and their children Sully, Livie, and Finn; and Ryan and Molly Mahaffey and their children Trace and JoJo. Larry was preceded in death by his parents.
