Lavona Brown
June 19, 2011
Lavona Ollivene Brown, 88, passed away Sunday, June 19, 2011, at Colonial Manor in Anita, Iowa. Lavona was born in Shelby County on April 25, 1923, from the parents Alma Olsen and Raymond Anderson.
When Lavona was three years old her mother died. After some years her mother’s sisters, Tina and Ida, took over the care of this little girl. At 18, she met Merle Brown, a musician/carpenter who made her so happy that they married in January 1942. Out of this marriage a son was born, Larry Ray. The little family lived about 20 years in Atlantic. The last 40 years Des Moines was their residence.
Lavona was a cheerful woman with a smile on her face most of the time. She was a good singer, “Happy Birthday” on the telephone is something that many of her friends will remember. When she was not writing her letters, you could find her cleaning her bell collection and attending her Bible studies or changing her apartment.
Lavona is survived by her son, Larry and his wife, Cecile; her grandchildren, Sander and Patricia, Michiel and Patty and Rogier; and by her great-grandchildren, Naima and Nordin, who all reside in Holland. She was preceded in death by her husband, Merle Brown; her three brothers, Gerald, Ivro and Graydon Anderson; her step-sister, Izroa Durham of Elk Horn, Iowa; and stepbrother, Gleowen Larsen of Southern California.
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com
Dorothy Anderson
06/24/2011
Dear Larry and Cecile,
I was so sorry to see Lavona's obituary in the Des Moines Register last Sunday. I happened to be visiting grandkids June 9-23 and just decided to see if I knew anyone who had died. I had even thought about driving out to see your mother but couldn't.
You were a wonderful son, Larry, and whenever Gene and I were able to visit, she always talked about when you were coming back for your next visit.
We loved her, too, and she thought of our family as a part of hers. I will miss her letters and her cheerful talk whenever we were able to call or stop to visit her.
I know where she is right now--right beside your dad in heaven.
There's no doubt of that!
May God bless you all in your grief!
Love, Dorothy