LaVerna Mae Schwingler was born on August 3, 1932, to parents Otto and Elsie (Schmidt) Kopitzke in Lake Benton, MN. She was the third of eight children. LaVerna’s childhood years were spent in Lake Benton, with graduating from Lake Benton High School.
In 1950, she moved to Shakopee and worked at Continental Machine in Savage for 5 years, eventually meeting Emery Schwingler. They were married on November 21, 1953 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, in Jordan, MN and were blessed with two children, Dawn and Jim. Most of LaVerna’s career was spent as a homemaker and also working 23 years part time at Berens Market in Shakopee.
LaVerna loved her entire family and church. She was an active member of St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church of Shakopee, a leader in 4H and Cub Scouts, a member of Sassy Lassie Homemakers Club and the Red Hat Club. She worked with Mobile Meals and served her church as librarian and a member of the Martha Circle for many years. She was an excellent cook, loved to entertain and enjoyed sewing for family and friends.
At the age of 79 and a resident of Shakopee, MN LaVerna Schwingler passed away peacefully in the presence of her family and entered God’s arms on the morning of Monday, April 9, 2012 at St. Gertrude’s Health and Rehabilitation Center in Shakopee, MN.
Forever loved, LaVerna will be deeply missed by her husband of 58 years, Emery; children, Dawn (Mark) McQuillan of Shakopee, Jim (Chris) Schwingler of Jordan; grandchildren, Ansley (Jeff) Peters of Jordan, Jes (Maria) Schwingler of Jordan, Luke Schwingler of Sioux Falls, SD; great-grandchildren, Elin Peters, Elsa and Sophia Schwingler; siblings, Mavis (Eugene) Arndt of Las Vegas, NV, Darleen Schesso of Shakopee, Yvonne (Ray) Crandall of Wheaton, Orinne Jones of Coon Rapids, Kenneth (Karen) Kopitzke of Afton, Carol (Wally) Gregory of Slayton, Linda (Vern) Drayton of Saginaw, MI and many other loving relatives and friends.
LaVerna is preceded in death by her her parents, Otto and Elsie (Schmidt) Kopitzke, brother-in-law, Norm Schesso and niece, Sharon Gregory Skinner.
Urnbearers for LaVerna will be her 3 grandchildren. Honorary urnbearers are Gary Mohr, Richard Ries, Jack Nelson and Bill Jones.
Visitation will be on Friday, April 20 from 4 to 8:00 p.m., at Ballard-Sunder Funeral Home, 833 South Marschall Road, Shakopee and 1 hour prior to the service at church. The Celebration of Life Service will be on Saturday, April 21 at 11 a.m., at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 119 Eighth Avenue in Shakopee. Rev. Randall J. Romsdahl will officiate. LaVerna will be laid to rest at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, MN.
Memorials are preferred and will be distributed in LaVerna’s memory by the family.
