Funeral Service for Lavern L Stavig, 97, of Sisseton, SD will be held on Saturday, January 17, 2015 at 3:00 P.M. at the Grace Lutheran Church, Sisseton, SD with the Rev. William Schruba officiating. Organist will be Mona Greseth and soloist will be Pat Schubert. Pallbearers will be John Ackerman, Jonathan Ash, James Pickthorn, Jay Pickthorn, Sherman Pickthorn, Dana Stapleton, Russell Stavig,T.J. Von Wald and Leon Backman. Interment will be at 2:00 P.M. one hour prior to the funeral service in the Sisseton Cemetery, Sisseton, SD. There will be visitation on Friday, January 16, 2015 at the Grace Lutheran Chapel from 3:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M. with a Prayer Service at 6:00 P.M. followed by a time of sharing. The Cahill Funeral Chapel, Sisseton, SD is in charge of arrangements.
Lavern Luella Stapleton, daughter of James L. and Minnie (Gunderson) Stapleton was born at Sisseton on February 5, 1917. She completed high school there in 1934. After graduating she worked at Stavig Brothers for 3 years, then attended Minneapolis Business College. She was employed in the office of Purity Baking Co. and Johnson & Johnson Medical in the Foshay Tower in Minneapolis. Lavern and Milton R. Stavig were married on April 21, 1941, at Northfield, MN by his brother, Dr. Lawrence M. Stavig, who was pastor at St. Olaf College. Lavern joined Milton while he served in the US Army (1942-46) during World War II at Fort Warren in Cheyenne, WY and at Fort Ord in Carmel, CA. In 1946 they returned to Sisseton with their daughter Mary. Milton passed away in 1981.
Lavern enjoyed needlework of all kinds. She found great peace in her knitting, crocheting, and sewing. Her Hardanger pieces were works of art and are treasured by friends and family members who received them as gifts. She loved playing card games her whole life. Until her eyesight failed at age 96 she played weekly with her card group. She enjoyed gardening, especially flowers. Until her 90s she planted beautiful begonias that were a showpiece in her north windowbox for all to see. She raised a purple martin house every spring to attract the birds whose song she loved. She enjoyed feeding the birds all winter and would trudge out in the snow to refill her feeders faithfully. She never failed to complete the daily crossword puzzle in the Watertown paper, often calling friends to doublecheck an answer.
For 40 years, Lavern would spend summer weekends at Pickerel Lake, sharing her time with Tim, Mary, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Each day at the lake produced memories cherished by all. A big memory her family had was of her delicious caramel rolls, made for every holiday and every lake weekend. She was a marvelous baker and not afraid to tackle difficult things. Her family enjoyed, on occasion, Baked Alaska, Yorkshire Pudding, Easter Bunny rolls, and always a pie for dinner on short notice. She was only half Norwegian, but at Christmastime she made perfect rosettes, tender lefse, krumkake, and always the Norwegian treats her father-in-law, Magnus Stavig, enjoyed: rommergrot, fruit soup, and lutefisk.
During her lifetime she played golf and bowled for years on local bowling teams. Her highlight was bowling a 600 series one night during team play.
She was an active member of Grace Lutheran Church and the Bible study circles, and served many years with Grace Lutheran Church women as an officer and server. She was a faithful attendee of the Monday morning quilters, again until her eyes failed. She was a volunteer Gray Lady at Tekakwitha Living Center.
She lived in her own home until age 95. In 2012 she moved to Edgewood Vista Assisted Living in Sisseton where she made her new home and enjoyed new and old friends. She lived there until September of 2014, when she moved to Tekakwitha Living Center after a fall. Her sharp mind and keen memory remained with her until her final days. At the age of 97, she spoke as the only representative of the class of 1934 at their 80th high school reunion. Lavern passed away on January 14, 2015 with her family around her.
She is survived by her daughter Mary (Timothy) Pearson of Sisseton, three granddaughters Kristen Pearson Ash of Milbank, SD, Jane (Thomas ) Von Wald of Sioux Falls, SD, and Katherine Pearson of Sioux Falls.; 5 great-grandchildren: Jonathan, Stephen, Anna, Madelyn, and Jackson; one brother Gordon (Lorraine) Stapleton of Sisseton, SD, several nieces, nephews and numerous friends.
Lavern was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Milton, and one sister Gladys Pickthorn.