Walter G. Larsen was born to Norwegian immigrants in Brooklyn, New York and raised in San Francisco from the age of seven. He attended pharmacy school and medical school in California. In 1961, Walter married Sylvi Nilsen and moved to Portland, Oregon to study dermatology and raise a family. He was a captain in the army. He traveled the world giving talks on contact dermatitis. Walter and Sylvi have lived in Portland for the past 6o years and have had a sailboat in the Caribbean for ten. Their greatest adventure in life is the enjoyment of their family and friends.