DeKALB – LaVonne Verlette Larson, 92, passed away Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2012, at DeKalb County Nursing and Rehab Center in DeKalb.
She was born Nov. 29, 1919, in Ina, to Jerry and Eola (Kelly) Hays. Her family moved to Shabbona when she was a young girl. She attended school in Shabbona, graduating as valedictorian of her class in 1938.
She married John H. Larson on Nov. 19, 1938, at the home of his parents. They enjoyed 63 years together before his death in 2001. She was a resident of Shabbona Healthcare Center from 2001 until 2012.
She was a member of Waterman United Methodist Church and United Methodist Women.
Her life was centered around caring for her children and others. She worked in the cafeteria at Waterman High School for several years. She enjoyed visiting with friends and neighbors and spending time with her family. In recent years, she especially enjoyed keeping up with all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s activities and accomplishments.
Listening to music and reading were favorite pastimes. She was an avid fan of “The Price Is Right”, “Jeopardy” and “Wheel of Fortune”, and she enjoyed watching Tiger Woods play golf.
She is survived by one son, Jerry Larson of Henderson, Nev.; four daughters, Beverly (Richard) Knudtson of Edgerton, Wis., Sondra (J. Wayne) Tuggle and LaVonne (Steven) Larson, both of Surprise, Ariz., and Terry (Galen) Shank of Sterling; daughter-in-law, Lynn Larson of DeKalb; her sister, Wilma June Price of Sacramento, Calif.; 12 grandchildren, Andy (Sharon McConnell) Knudtson of Darien, Wis., Kevin (Tina) Knudtson of Juda, Wis., April (Stan) Shemak of The Woodlands, Texas, Douglas Larson of Maple Park, Dara Johnson (John) of Harvard, Derrick (Mae Lissa) Larson of Sycamore, Timothy Tuggle of Surprise, Julie (Dave) Ruder of Maple Park, Heather Shank of Milledgeville, Mendy (Shawn) Fritz of Rock Falls, Corey Shank of Dixon and Danny Larson of Henderson; 18 great-grandchildren, Katy, Brianna and Coty Knudtson, Gabriel Shemak, Micah and Noah Johnson, Asher and Ella Larson, Alyson, Aaron and Kellie Ruder, Austin Cummings, Cameron Brown, Courtney, Lauren, Savannah and Connor Fritz, and Madison Larson; and several nieces and nephews.
She also was preceded in death by her son, Roger; her great-granddaughter, Jessica Nicole Tuggle; her parents; and two brothers, Coy Hays and Melvin Hays.
Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Jacobson Funeral Home, 303 N. Illini St., Shabbona. The funeral will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Christina Vosteen, minister of United Methodist Church of Waterman, officiating. Burial will be at Rose Hill Cemetery, north of Shabbona.
Memorials will be donated to DeKalb County Hospice, DeKalb County Nursing and Rehab Center and Shabbona Healthcare Center. The family wishes to express their gratitude for providing such comforting and loving care to their mother.