Gailyn Larsen was born in Harlan on October 17, 1942 to Ivan and Alice Larsen. He attended country school and worked in the fields from an early age. After graduating from Harlan High School, he attended the University of Nebraska and earned a degree in Business Administration in 1964 and graduated from law school in 1967.

Linda Booth was born in Schenectady, New York on April 9, 1943 to Robert and Mary Booth. She graduated from Harlan High School and went on to earn a degree in education from the University of Nebraska.

While students at Harlan High School, Gailyn and Linda were both members of the Ninety Club, Quill and Scroll, and the National Honors Society. They also worked together on The Cyclone, the school newspaper.

Gailyn and Linda were married in Harlan on August 15, 1964. Together, they raised two children, Andrea and Jeffrey. Though life took their family to Nebraska, Indiana, Texas, Pennsylvania, and Florida, they both maintained a strong love of Shelby County.

Before having children, Linda taught elementary school. She was known for her commitment to volunteering, generously giving her time to the Junior League, the P.E.O. Sisterhood, and community and school organizations.

Gailyn was known for his stories about growing up in rural Iowa, and loved to share wisdom learned through years of hard work and perseverance. He used skills learned while working on his family farm to develop successful careers in the United States Army, law, business, and transportation logistics.

Throughout their lives, they enjoyed spending time with each other, and with family and friends gained from a lifetime of adventure.

Linda passed away in November of 2020, and Gailyn passed in February 2022. Their children, Andrea Larsen Hayden and Jeffrey Larsen hoped to find a way to memorialize the lives of their parents.

We are honored that Andrea and Jeffrey selected the Shelby County Historical Museum to receive memorial donations in support of our Historic Log Cabin Preservation Project after Gailyn's passing.

They have also chosen to provide an additional $100,000 donation to help preserve the historic McIntosh and Leland log cabins. In recognition of their generosity, the historic log cabin plaza will be named in honor of Gailyn and Linda Larsen, and their love of Shelby County. We are honored to become part of Gailyn and Linda's legacy and serve as a reminder of their pride in Shelby County.