On Sunday, Sept. 28, the Kaneland community was informed of the unexpected passing of Kevin Larson, a dedicated special education teacher at Kaneland High School for nearly 20 years. Larson was a respected educator and coach to many Kaneland families, and his loss has been felt deeply across the district and community.
Larson loved many things, one of which was volleyball. He coached the sport for several years and loved attending Kaneland athletic events. He supported every team, club and activity, and he often wore Kaneland shirts representing different clubs or sports.
Social studies teacher Scott Parillo co-taught with Larson for six years, forming a strong friendship through their shared classroom. Parillo described Larson as kind, funny and always willing to help others.
“He would do anything for anybody,” Parillo said. “I mean, if a kid needed money, he would give them money. You know, so they could eat. We both did that. That was one thing we would always do.”
Sophomore Corrine Faivre developed a close relationship with Larson. He was a person she grew up with. Larson and her father had a great relationship prior to her even being born. She said that Larson felt like an uncle to her despite not being related.
“He definitely cared a lot about his students and his work,” Faivre said.
Larson coached senior Brynn Woods during her freshman year. She recalled how he continued to greet her in the hallways every day.
“Before I left school, he always said, ‘Have a good day,’ and on Fridays he’d say, ’Be good this weekend, and stay out of trouble,’’’ Woods said.
Science teacher Joanna Edelman, who knew Larson for 16 years, described him as her closest guy friend. She remembers him as thoughtful, funny and someone who always checked in on others.
“He always thought about other people,” Edelman said. “He didn’t ever think about himself. He was always thinking about everybody else first. And that’s really who he was.”
Larson was the type of person to bend over backwards for anybody. It didn’t matter if you were a student, a friend or a family member.
“Students will miss seeing him in the hallways and miss having him in class,” Faivre said.
Edelman recalled one of her favorite memories of Larson, where during a conversation about the education system around the world, he asked her if Poland, which is where Edelman is from, had FFA.
“I told him, ‘Kevin, why don’t you say it out loud again? Future Farmers of America,’” Edelman said, laughing. “‘No, we don’t have FFA in Poland.’”
Moments like those showed Larson’s affable and easygoing nature. He connected with everyone and could laugh at himself, which made people feel comfortable and helped them enjoy spending time with him.
On Friday, Sept. 26, Larson was at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) to watch the Oregon Ducks face the Illinois Fighting Illini in volleyball. The following day, he enjoyed the Illinois vs. University of Southern California football game. Both Illinois teams won that weekend.
“Kevin loved UIUC,” Parillo said. “I wish he was still here, but I’m glad his last weekend was so memorable.”
Following Larson’s passing, Kaneland administration offered counseling and support for staff and students through the Employee Assistance Program. Administration activated their response team to provide immediate counseling support for people to use. On Thursday, Oct. 2, staff members wore black customized jerseys to honor him. Larson’s funeral service took place on Sunday, Oct. 5, followed by his burial. On Friday, Oct. 10, during halftime of Kaneland’s Homecoming football game, the community honored him. His family stood on the field as they received a framed jersey with his name and favorite number, 9. The frame was signed by Kaneland staff members.
Larson’s kindness, humor and dedication left a lasting impact, and his presence will be missed by many.
