Monday, January 12, 2015

Elaine Larsen died today, Monday, January 12, 2015


Elaine Larsen, 1962-2015.
RIP, you will be missed.
Pacifica Tribune/Jane Northrop, 1/12/15. "Elaine Larsen passes away."

"Longtime Pacifica Tribune writer and editor/publisher Elaine Larsen passed away Monday after a lengthy hospitalization.  Larsen, 51, had worked her way up from cub reporter covering City Hall in 1987 to editor in 2007. She left the Tribune in August.

She loved living in Pacifica and was always cheered by seeing the ocean on her commute to and from work. She lived with her husband, Jim Carson, in Linda Mar.

The Tribune will run a full obituary about Larsen next week. Plans for a memorial are being worked out right now."

Related - Pacifica Riptide, 1/12/15,"Amy Lynn's Face book Notice".  "Dear Family and Friends, With deep sadness, we regret to tell you that Elaine passed away Monday, January 12th around 7 am. She passed away in the hospital with Jim by her side.  Memorial Service arrangement have not been made yet.  Please keep Elaine's beloved husband, Jim Carson, and the entire Larsen/Carson family in your thoughts and prayers.  Please 'do not' call Jim at this time as he will be busy with family.  I will update as soon as I have more information. RIP Elaine larsen, April 21, 1962- January 12, 2015.  LOVE YOU, Elaine xoxoxox."
Dear Family and Friends, With deep sadness, we regret to tell you that Elaine passed away Monday, January 12th around 7am. She passed away in the hospital with Jim by her side. Memorial Service arrangments have not been made yet. Please keep Elaine's beloved husband, Jim Carson, and the entire Larsen family in your thoughts and prayers. Please *do not* call Jim at this time as he will be busy with family. I will update as soon as I have more information. RIP Elaine Larsen. April 21, 1962-January 12, 2015. LOVE YOU, Elaine xoxoxox - See more at: http://www.pacificariptide.com/pacifica_riptide/2015/01/rip-former-tribune-editor-elaine-larsen-1962-2015.html#sthash.L0MLashi.dpuf
Dear Family and Friends, With deep sadness, we regret to tell you that Elaine passed away Monday, January 12th around 7am. She passed away in the hospital with Jim by her side. Memorial Service arrangments have not been made yet. Please keep Elaine's beloved husband, Jim Carson, and the entire Larsen family in your thoughts and prayers. Please *do not* call Jim at this time as he will be busy with family. I will update as soon as I have more information. RIP Elaine Larsen. April 21, 1962-January 12, 2015. LOVE YOU, Elaine xoxoxox - See more at: http://www.pacificariptide.com/pacifica_riptide/2015/01/rip-former-tribune-editor-elaine-larsen-1962-2015.html#sthash.L0MLashi.dpuf

Note:  photograph from Elaine Larsen's Linked in  page. 

Posted by Kathy Meeh

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

Gone too soon. Elaine Larsen wrote with real pragmatism and common sense and always with respect for everyone, especially the reader. Her Connect the Dots article from a couple/three years ago ought to be required reading in this town. Unpleasant truths delivered gracefully.

Anonymous said...

Elaine once told me, the whiners and complainers and nimbys and noobees gave her a bleeding ulcer.

mike bell said...

anon 9:40
Your comment may or may not be truthful...... but for sure Elaine was a good person who tried hard to objectively cover the news in Pacifica.
She was an important freedom fighter who will be missed.

Anonymous said...

10:55

True story, Mike!

amy vegan said...

elaine was 52. xoxoxoxo

amy vegan said...

@anonymous ..regarding Elaline's ulcer and other PERSONAL ISSUES, please refrain from discussing personal family matters in a public forum.

Kathy Meeh said...

Amy 1243, I think we all care about what happened to Elaine. As you mentioned, her age was 52-- not old. Yes, she was a terrific, astute, intelligent person. Condolences to Jim, to her dear brother, to all her family and friends. Some of us are currently grieving.

Hutch said...

Way too young. My condolences to her family and friends. You will be missed Elaine. RIP

Steve Sinai said...

Very sorry to hear this. It's always a shock when you're talking to someone, and then a few weeks later they're gone.

amy vegan said...

Kathy- I brushed Elaine's hair and removed her earrings and cut a lock of her hair for her husband to take home an hour after she died. Yes, we are all grieving but discussing her PERSONAL LIFE in a public forum is not okay.

Kathy Meeh said...

Amy 948, I'm glad you were with Elaine on the last, but who are you, and in what capacity did you assist Elaine Larsen? Your comments are your disclosure, and personal information you brought forth.

Meantime, I would like to know how long Elaine was in the hospital; what was the medical condition, when was the inception? Was the condition chronic or acute; why didn't she improve, what factors contributed to her death?

Many of us were fond of Elaine, appreciated her intellect and her humanity. Most of knew Elaine was sick, but thought she had a future. Dead is forever, really a bummer with regard to whatever happened to her.

This is too personal for you? No problem, I hope to find out. And if anyone knows anything please advise. This was the death of a good person, WHY?

amy vegan said...

kathy, in a week or two, when he has some breathing room, why don't you call her husband and ask him? let him tell you directly. as for me, we were good friends since 2001.

Anonymous said...

Just an opinion...detailed info about someone's death is personal and the family should decide who they wish to share it with. I hope it doesn't end up on here without the family's permission. People are entitled to their privacy.

Kathy Meeh said...

Amy 1143, good.

1152, the Tribune news article above states "Elaine Larsen passed away Monday after a lengthy hospitalization." Again the question is WHY? With that much disclosure, hopefully a news article may carry more information-- who, what, when, why (journalism 10). Also, I'm not planning to reject any factual (reasonably sensitive) comments should they occur. Steve "Blogmaster" Sinai (the final Fix blog authority) may override.

1152, "just an opinion" (your words)...of course since you are Anonymous, you would be thinking about your own privacy, and otherwise might have to ask your family for permission to post comments with your real name. (Elaine might have thought such a situation for you would be funny, just saying...)

Tom Clifford said...

The family has asked that no one call at this time. Please respect that wish.

Anonymous said...

Kathy Meeh... you really are ham handed when it comes to commenting about those who have passed. You are not the press... you are not entitled to know everything.... you should give families and friends the privacy and respect they deserve.

Kathy Meeh said...

912, I am "friends" of Elaine's choosing, and spoke with her many times over the past several months (her calls to me). I am distraught over her passing. And as I said prior, I thought and hoped she would have a future. Respect for Elaine's life is a given.

People die for various reasons, its the other side of living. Nothing new or sacrosanct about that-- that's another reason death certificates exist. Causation is of interest to some people with a brain. And of course I wonder if the death certificate will indicate "the people of this city and Mercury News management ate her", or was there some other cause.

912, out of respect for those who have passed, you might consider commenting with your true name, and not hide under Anonymous cover. (Elaine would have agreed with that).

Steve Sinai said...

Personal health records are nobody else's business.

Anonymous said...

912 and Sinai, Amen! And as far as how Elaine Larsen might regard anon comments in this context...she was a dignified woman who never crossed the line and she wouldn't like this one bit. People close to her or the family will have all the info in due time. The rest have no right to intrude.

Kathy Meeh said...

1209, we know for sure Elaine was clearly against Anonymous comments.

Steve 1158, the question is still why did Elaine die, and what lead up to that-- and combing through "personal health records" was never my focus period.

A friend attended a meeting last night where Elaine's death was mentioned. Others did not know about this. The immediate question was "what happened?" That is basic human inquiry. To my knowledge no one there said, "this is way too personal, we don't want to know". And no one there was trying to push an artificial drama for any reasons whatsoever. More will be known at a later time; and at this point it hardly matters, a good life has been lost.

Steve Sinai said...

Kathy, it's none of your business why she died. If the family wants to make it public, they can.

toddbray said...

Kathy, a big orange B comes up along side Amy Vegan's name so I assume it's you trying to be anonymous... If so then why are you arguing with yourself?

Kathy Meeh said...

Steve 1258, its personal unfinished business. And again, its basic human inquiry. So we're at a stalemate on this one.

Todd, ridiculous. Amy Vegan (also listed on Riptide) is not me. Anyone else confused? Don't be.

Steve Sinai said...

Kathy, asking in private about what happened is one thing. Having a public blog discussion about it is another.

It's a matter of common decency and respect for the family.

Anonymous said...

1:00

It's a G and it just means they are signed into Google.

Kathy Meeh said...

Steve 131, note the INITIAL public blog discussion was not prompted by me, other than posting the article.

Saying nothing has zero to do with "common decency and respect for the family". Elaine was an important member of our community, and in various capacities her outreach and friendship touched most of us. Such public people are not hidden away without notice.

And since when does NOT personal include Amy's 1/13/15, 9:48 PM comments. Personal, but public and relevant was the stated Tribune article fact: "lengthy hospitalization".

Sally Richards (310)601.0070 said...

I'm so sorry about Elaine passing. However she went, let's just focus on her absence and the hole that will be left in the community and in the hearts of family and friends. Let's celebrate her life and the professionalism and straight-up coverage she brought to Pacifica. I know her friends and family will remember how helpful she was when the world came down around your ears, she would always remind you of Plan B, even if I hadn't known there was one. I knew Elaine in college — she was one of my maid of honors at my first wedding (one that no one had any doubt wouldn't work, but held their tongues anyway). She was a caring friend. I'm sorry we'd been so out of touch over the last decade. I'll miss you Elaine, and Jim...you were truly there for her in the end. My heart goes out to you. Healing energy to all who knew her. Elaine, godspeed. I know that when people feel you near them, you will be. You always had a knack for knowing when people needed you. And I know you'll be working from a higher level to protect the city you loved <3 Much love, friend. Sally Richards

Lor said...

Anyone who knew Elaine is shocked at her passing. She was an all-around AWESOME human being: a smart, funny, quirky woman who was a loyal friend, a loving partner, and an old school journalist. She wasn't religious, but she did believe in the Oxford comma. All that, and she was aces at being a cat-mom (which was a totally unplanned, totally delightful self-discovery).

amy vegan said...

@sally richards, beautiful. i'm sure jim would love to hear from you. xoxo amy

amy vegan said...

Jim Carson, Elaine's husband, died today in Los Angeles. His children and brother were by his side. 10/26/2018.