LaVerne Ione Colness

LaVerne Ione (Thompson) Colness, age 93, of Sedona, Arizona, died Wednesday, November 23, 2022, at Pioneer Care Center, Fergus Falls, Minnesota.

LaVerne was born November 29, 1928, in Fargo, ND, to Lester and Ellen (Pearson) Thompson.  She grew up and attended schools in the Campbell-Tintah area.  In 1946 she graduated from Tintah High School as Valedictorian.  In the summer of 1946, she spent 8 weeks attending summer school at Minot, ND with her aunt Anna Fish and cousins Elois Fish and Doris Fish.  In September of 1946, at the age of 17, she began teaching in a rural school.  She taught 10 years in rural schools, 1 year in ND and 9 years in MN.

On June 5, 1953, LaVerne married Marvin Colness at North Immanuel Lutheran Church, rural Pelican Rapids, Minnesota.  She and Marvin moved to Silver Bay, MN.  LaVerne graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from UMD in Duluth, MN in 1957.   Then became an elementary teacher in Lake Country School District in Silver Bay, Minnesota for 39 years. 

She was a member of Alpha Delta Kappa (women teachers), MEA-Minnesota Education Association, Sons of Norway, American Legion Auxiliary, University of Minnesota Foundation, and North Immanuel Lutheran Church.

LaVerne loved to travel and took many trips to various countries with her husband Marvin.  They were also very good dancers and would go to dance/polka festivals throughout the United States.

LaVerne was always working on some type of craft project.  Hardanger was one of the skills she mastered and had made many beautiful wall hangings, doilies and one tablecloth that took years to complete.  One of her last endeavors was making yoyo’s and then sewing them together in various shapes.

LaVerne is survived by sisters: Corrine Klabunde, Dent, MN, Arlene (Darrell) Costain, West Fargo, ND; brother Lanny Thompson, Minnetonka, MN; sister-in-law Kim Thompson, Brooklyn Park, MN; godchild and niece Terri Anderson, many other nieces and nephews, a niece Marjorie Huseby on the Colness side of the family and another godchild Angela Sipila, Britt, MN.

She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Marvin, brother Loren Thompson, and sister-in-law Diane Thompson.

Memorials preferred to North Immanuel Lutheran Church, rural Pelican Rapids, Minnesota.

Visitation: Saturday, December 3, 2022, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at North Immanuel Lutheran Church, Pelican Rapids, MN. 

Funeral Service: 11:00 a.m., Saturday, December 3, 2022, at North Immanuel Lutheran Church, rural Pelican Rapids, Minnesota.

Clergy:  Pastor Isaiah Bai

Please keep LaVerne's family in your thoughts and prayers.