Lavonne Willems

LaVonne Willems, age 87, of Garretson, passed away on April 3, 2020, at Palisades Health Care. Mass of Christian Burial for Tom and Lavonne will begin at 10:30 AM Thursday, June 10, 2021, at St Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Garretson. Interment of the cremated remains will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will be from 5-7:00 PM Wednesday, at the Minnehaha Funeral Home, Garretson, with a Prayer Service & Rosary beginning at 7:00 PM. The mass will be livestreamed on Tom’s obituary page at www.minnehahafuneralhome.com . Memorials may be directed to Honor Flight, the Garretson Community Scholarship Foundation, or a community organization of your choice.

She was born in Nobles County, MN on April 27, 1932 to John and Anna (Aanenson) McClure.  She attended grade school in Nobles and Rock County MN.  She graduated from Luverne High School in 1950.  After graduation she worked at the Rock Co. Bank in Luverne until she married Tom Willems on Nov. 17, 1952.  They farmed in Springwater Township, MN until 1968 when they moved to Garretson, SD.  LaVonne went to work at the Garretson Farmers Coop as a bookkeeper until she retired in 1987. After retiring they lived in Garretson until her death.

She is survived by her husband Tom; children: Mark, Madison SD, Mary (Brian Parr), New Ipswich, NH, Janet Tyrrell, Garretson, Nancy (John Brandsma), Brandon SD, Judy Sievert, Garretson, Daniel (Lisa) Garretson, and David, Brandon SD; 16 Grandchildren; 12 Great Grandchildren; and a brother Steven (Sheryl)  Mitchell, SD. She was preceded in death by her parents; daughters, Cheryl McKenna and Susan Marie (infant), and a son Michael James (infant); brothers: John Jr, Arlen, Melford, Douglas, Gary & Roger; a son-in-law Darwin Sievert; and a grandson Eric Bjorneberg.