With her son Jed by her side, Ann Louise Larkin was called home to heaven on Tuesday January 16, 2024. Ann was born to Gerald and Hilda Kehr of Red Lion on June 18, 1945. As a child, she enjoyed playing with her neighborhood girlfriends, belonging to girl scouts, and doing a little traveling with her older brother Michael and her parents. At the age of 11, she lost her father Gerald to Leukemia. Her mother would remarry to Robert Harlacker, and a few years later welcome to the world a son, Mark Harlacker.

While attending Red Lion High-school Ann fell in love with a farm boy from Freysville. His name was Carson Eugene Larkin. She would spend her high-school years dating Carson, cheering him on at his sporting events, participating in the school band and year book staff. Carson and Ann both attended Millersville University. Ann would graduate in 3 years with a bachelor's degree, which she would often speak of as a proud accomplishment. Carson and Ann both became school teachers and would marry in 1965. They took a 6 plus week trip out west camping out of Ann's Cherry Red Mustang in the late 1960's, which Ann spoke often about.

On Halloween of 1973, Carson and Ann would welcome their first son, Jon. Jon was born with Down syndrome and in the early 70's, there was little social acceptance with people with Down syndrome. Carson and Ann would ignore the social stigma towards Jon and raise him as if he had no mental disability. In November of 1981, the family of 3 would grow to a family of 4, welcoming Jed to the world. The family of 4 would enjoy camping, making trips to Florida see relatives, family cookouts with, and spending time as a family. During this time Ann taught ceramic classes in her basement and attended many craft shows to make some extra money. She met many new friends with this hobby and the family would tag along to the craft shows as well. The family of 4 continued to travel in the mid 90's, mostly to Jed's baseball games. Jon would tag along on trips out of state and often get the chance to hold the teams championship trophies.

In 1998, Ann would lose her mother and her husband 3 months apart. She would now be left to finish raising her two sons and running a sizeable rental business on her own. She succeeded and partially retired in 2008 and fully retired in 2012. During the early 2000's she met another love, Robert Bankert. They traveled together, often taking Jon with them. Robert and Ann would never marry, but shared their love for one another until Ann's passing. In her full retirement, Ann would travel the world with some of her friends from her college years, going to places like Europe, Cuba, Panama and Peru. In 2017 Ann, Smokey (Ann's Shih Tzu), Jed and Kristy (Jed's girlfiend at the time) started camping together in their travel trailer. They would take multiple trips a summer together, with Ann's last one being in October of 2021 for a Halloween weekend with her Grandson now tagging along.

In July 2020 Ann would have unbearable sorrow watching her son Jon pass away from the same disease that would eventually end up taking her life. A little over a week later, she would would welcome to the world her one and only grandchild. Carson David Larkin. Ann was ecstatic and had waited a long time for a grandchild and baby Carson helped ease the pain of losing Jon. Ann, Smokey, Jed, Kristy (now Jed's wife), and baby Carson would load up and take multiple trips together a summer camping in their travel trailer. When they weren't camping, Ann and baby Carson would spend 4 or so days a week, playing together and eating lunch together. Ann's original diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment would change to Alzheimer's in the the fall of 2022. She would continue to spend her time multiple days a week with baby Carson playing, eating lunch together and swinging on Ann's yard swing.

In the fall of 2023, the disease had progressed that even eating lunch her new love, baby Carson wasn't enough motivation to get her out of bed. It had been her wish to stay in her home that Ann and her late husband, Carson built back in 1969. Jed would have no choice but to have his mother go to memory care assisted living. Ann would be there a little over 3 months until passing from complications of the disease on Jan. 16th.

Ann's life, like most people, was filled with many life altering changes. She loved her family, her close friends, her Shih Tzu's, her house, her flower beds, traveling, helping others and God. Ann would not have been able to remain at her beloved home as long as she did without the help of her caregivers Linda and Allie, her companion and friend Robert Bankert, and her son Jed and his wife Kristy.

Ann is survived by her son and her daughter in law Jed and Kristy Larkin, her Grandson Carson David Larkin, her brother and her sister in law Michael and Bobbi Kehr, her brother and her sister in law Mark and Lisa Harlacker, her brother in law and sister in law Lonnie and Cindi Larkin, her brother in law Guy Larkin Jr., her sister in law Jackie Altland, her companion and friend Robert Bankert, her dog Smokey, many nephews and nieces, and her life long friends.

A graveside service that is open to all is scheduled for Saturday June 29, 2024 at 10:30 A.M. at Red Lion Cemetery on E. Gay St. in Red Lion. A celebration of life to follow at 12:30 P.M. Location of celebration of life will be told at graveside service. The family asks all attendees of the service to avoided dressing in all blacks and grays and wear spring time colors. Please contact Jed by June 12th if you are planning on attending celebration of life as he will need a head count for food. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Best Friends Animal Society or Easter Seals of York.