Funeral services for LaVern Walgren of Hay Springs will be held on Saturday, May 11, 2013 at 10:00 AM at St. Columbkille Catholic Church in Hay Springs with Father James Joseph officiating. Burial will be at the Hay Springs Catholic Cemetery.
LaVern Walgren was born in Hay Springs, NE on February 8, 1919 to Fred and Maggie Walgren, the eldest of 4 children. He attended HarmonyGrade School, where he, by second grade, had already chosen his bride, Margaret Lauder. After a most lengthy courtship, he finally married her on June 27, 1940. They were blessed with 57 wonderful years together.
LaVern graduated from HaySpringsHigh School in 1937. After his discharge from the U.S. Navy in 1945, he attended the University of Nebraska in Lincoln and graduated 1949. He taught Vocational Agriculture at the Bloomfield, Nebraska High School for several years before working as Plant Manager for United Petroleum of Omaha. He realized his dream of ranching when his career path took him to a ranch outside Cody, NE, where he raised Black Angus. Most of his working years were spent with the Dept. of the Interior in the Bureau of Land Management in Colorado, California and Wyoming before retiring in 1982.
Besides Margaret and ranching, LaVern had another great love during many of those years…..his devoted dog, Chief, who quickly wormed his way into both of their hearts and left indelible paw prints upon his passing.
Upon Margaret’s passing, LaVern married the “other Lauder daughter”, Mary Lauder Kittelman, and spent 15 and a half years doting on her, as he had Margaret. If one could sum up the spirit of this consummate gentleman in one word, it would be “devoted”. All who were blessed to know him, if even in passing, had opportunity to witness the loving devotion he showered on Margaret and then on Mary. He was a selfless caregiver who always worried about others and didn’t want to be a bother to anyone else.
LaVern was promoted to Heaven on May 2, 2013 with Mary at his side. He was preceded in death by his parents, first wife, Margaret, brothers, Fred Walgren, Jr. and William L Walgren, sister, Margaret Mae Walgren and three nephews. LaVern’s living relatives are wife, Mary, two step-daughters, Janelle Binger and Patricia Loffer, two step-sons, Richard Kittelman and Robert Kittelman, and 19 nieces and nephews and multiple step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Our lives are all far richer for having known and loved this gentle, caring man.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be given in LaVern’s memory to Aegis of Issaquah, 780 NW Juniper, Issaquah, WA 98027.
Online condolences can be made at www.chamberlainchapel.com
Chamberlain Drabbels Mortuary of Hay Springs is in charge of arrangements.