Lavonne Clarice Hansen, 97, Luverne, died Monday, Dec. 28, 2020, at the Good Samaritan Society – Mary Jane Brown Home in Luverne.
A funeral service will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 2, with visitation beginning at 11:30 a.m., at the First Presbyterian Church in Luverne. Interment will follow at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne.
Lavonne Wacker was born on June 10, 1923, to John and Clara (Clasen) Wacker on a farm southwest of Rock Rapids, in Lyon County Iowa. She was baptized and later confirmed at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Rock Rapids. Her family moved to Minnesota in 1931 and Lavonne attended County School District 24, then two years of high school in Rock Rapids, and her last two years at Luverne High School in Luverne, graduating in 1941. She attended the Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing in Sioux City, Iowa, graduating in 1944 as a registered nurse. She began her nursing career at the Vander Wilt Hospital in Rock Rapids.
On Jan. 26, 1945, Lavonne married W. Ray Hansen at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Rock Rapids. The couple first lived on Ray’s parents’ farm before moving three miles north to Lavonne’s parents’ farm in Kanaranzi Township, Rock County, in 1951. There they farmed and raised their four children. After taking a few years off, Lavonne returned to her nursing career in Rock Rapids and later worked at the Luverne Community Hospital from 1972 until her retirement in 1992. She and Ray continued living on the farm. Ray died in October of 2008, and Lavonne continued living on the farm.
Lavonne was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Luverne and a member of the Rebekah Circle. She enjoyed sewing and gardening. She was also a member of the Luverne Lions Club.
Lavonne is survived by her four children, Karen Hansen of Ames, Iowa, Eileen (Alon) Hemme of Hardwick, Rhonda (Paul) Jorgenson of Winner, South Dakota, and William (Nancy) Hansen of New Brighton; six grandchildren, Erin (Dean) Froslie, Kyle (Mica) Hemm, Ryan Hemme, Lonnie Jorgensen, Kendra (Kris) Jorgenson, and Heather (Dorn) Hamburger; and 18 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, W. Ray; an infant son, Robert Ray; and her parents.
Arrangements are provided by Hartquist Funeral Home of Luverne, www.hartquistfuneral.com.
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