09/24/2026
Such sad news. RIP Lenora.
If some of you do not receive the Miami County Republic newspaper, this was published today. We are very sad to have to share this news...
The Marais des Cygnes Extension Master Gardeners and members of the region’s gardening community are mourning the death of Lenora Larson, a widely known gardener, writer, educator and passionate advocate for butterflies, and bugs.
Larson died peacefully in her sleep on September 18. She was 83.
To call Larson an avid gardener would hardly capture the influence she had. With her unmistakable white hair, ever-present purple clothing and wonderfully candid personality, she became something of a local celebrity among gardeners. She was beloved by her fellow Master Gardeners, readers of The Kansas City Gardener and the many people who heard her speak or toured her remarkable gardens.
A Marais des Cygnes Extension Master Gardener, Larson was also active in local chapters of the Idalia Butterfly Society and Kansas Native Plant Society. She frequently shared her knowledge with gardening and nature groups and wrote about butterflies for several publications.
Her greatest pride was the certified butterfly garden she created at Long Lips Farm, her 27-acre property near Paola. The garden reflected Larson herself: colorful, distinctive, filled with life and impossible to forget. She welcomed visitors for garden tours and used the property to demonstrate how gardeners could provide habitat for monarchs and other pollinators.
Larson’s knowledge was grounded in science. Born in Traverse City, Michigan, in 1943, she earned a degree in microbiology from Michigan State University and maintained a lifelong interest in botany, wildlife, ecology and environmental stewardship. She brought scientific curiosity to everything she did, but shared what she knew with humor, enthusiasm and an infectious sense of wonder.
She was especially known for encouraging others to reconsider their relationship with insects. This mission in Larson’s life was simple: get people to be nicer to bugs.
Those who knew her will remember not only what she taught, but also the tremendous energy she brought to every project, presentation and conversation. Her death leaves a profound void among the Master Gardeners and throughout the wider gardening community.
Larson was married to Donald Lee Tucker from 1978 until his death in an automobile accident in 2007. They shared a love of gardening, livestock, cooking and art. She is survived by her stepson, Jason Tucker of Overland Park, Kansas.
In accordance with her wishes, Larson will be cremated and her ashes scattered among the gardens at Long Lips Farm.
Memorial contributions may be made in her name to Monarch Watch in Lawrence, Kansas—a fitting tribute to a woman whose life’s work helped both butterflies and gardeners flourish.
