Lavon Lorraine Bouman

LaVon Lorraine Bouman. . .

was born to Peter and Ida (Wiese) Stevens on August 9, 1923 in Aetna Township of Pipestone County, Minnesota. When she was a young girl, she moved with her family to Fountain Prairie Township of Pipestone County, where she was raised and attended country school. She then attended Ruthton High School in Ruthton, Minnesota where she graduated in 1942. While she was growing up, she became friends with Henry “Hank” Bouman who lived a mile from her home. On September 10, 1943, they were united in marriage in San Louis Obispo, California in the army base chapel. Following their marriage, she lived with her parents until Hank returned home from the service. They rented farms in Aetna and Fountain Prairie Township until 1967 when they purchased Hank’s parents’ farm in Aetna Township. Following their retirement in 1982, they moved into Holland, Minnesota. She became employed as the coordinator of the Ruthton Mealsite in Ruthton, Minnesota where she worked whenever she was needed. In September of 2012, they moved into Sunrise Manor Nursing Home in Tyler, Minnesota where she died on Thursday, April 9, 2015 at the age of 91 years and eight months.

LaVon was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Holland where they served as the janitor for three years. She was a Sunday School Superintendent and taught Sunday School for a total of 60 years. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary in Holland and the Holland Senior Citizens. She enjoyed working with children. In her younger years, she was a den mother for Cub Scouts. She also enjoyed making quilts.

She is lovingly remembered by her husband, Henry Bouman of Tyler, Minnesota; three children, Carol Juliar and her husband Bernard of Surprise, Arizona, Robert Bouman and his wife Sandra of Tripoli, Iowa, and Bernard Bouman and his wife Janet of Ruthton, Minnesota; six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren; one brother, Milo Stevens and his wife Peggy of Graham, Texas; and two sisters, Bernice Mouw of Medford, Oregon, and Patricia Reppe and her husband William of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. She was preceded in death by her parents; an infant great-granddaughter, Megan Franzen; an infant sister; and a brother-in-law, Wayne Mouw.