Lavonne H. Kollmann

LAVONNE H. KOLLMANN was born to Paul L. and Alvina E. (Meyer) Brockberg on June 20, 1921 on the family farm near Trosky, Minnesota where she was raised and received her education. She attended country school in District #69 and then attended Pipestone High School. After her graduation in 1940, she was employed at the S&L Department Store in Pipestone. On June 20, 1943, she was united in marriage to Paul E. Kollmann at St. John Lutheran Church in Trosky. Following their marriage, they resided in Sioux Falls, South Dakota where Paul was stationed in the U.S. Army. During this time, LaVonne was employed at the S&L Department Store in Sioux Falls. While living there, their first child, Barbara, was born. When Paul was deployed overseas, LaVonne returned to Trosky, Minnesota. After Paul’s discharge from the service, they made their home in Pipestone. In 1951, LaVonne and Paul together decided to go into farming in Elmer Township and raise their family of five children. In September, 2001, they moved into Ridgeview Estates in Pipestone. Paul preceded her in death on March 21, 2006. Shortly after his death, LaVonne suffered a stroke and became a resident at the Ashton Care Center in Pipestone where she resided until this facility closed. On July 22, 2010, she became a resident at St. John Lutheran Home in Springfield, Minnesota to be near her daughter Gloria. On April 13, 2012, she was admitted to the Mayo Health Care System in Springfield where she died on Saturday, April 14, 2012, at the age of 90 years, nine months and 24 days.

LaVonne was a member of St. John Lutheran Church in Trosky, Minnesota where she was baptized on July 17, 1921 and later confirmed in 1936. Over the years, she spent countless hours at her church where she was involved with Ladies Aid, Church Circle, served as a Sunday School Teacher and helped with the church rallies. She was always ready to help when needed for kitchen duties at church. LaVonne was a dedicated farmer’s wife and a dedicated mother to their children. She kept herself very busy on the farm cooking, baking, gardening and canning. An accomplishment LaVonne was proud of was taking the Elmer Township school census for Pipestone County for many years. She was especially proud of her children and grandchildren and loved each of them dearly.

She is lovingly remembered by her five children, Barb Reitmeier and her husband Larry of Annandale, Minnesota and their children Chad and Wade, Joyce Jackson and her husband Robert of Darwin, Minnesota and their children Matthew, Heather and Corey, Steve Kollmann and his wife Sue of Pipestone, Minnesota and their children Candice Currier, Kari Tauber, Lori DeCook and Lance, Bruce Kollmann and his wife Nancy of Albany, Oregon and their children Jason, Robert, Jared and Ryan Carter, and Gloria Marks and her husband Ronald of Butterfield, Minnesota and their children, Shannon, Michelle Krause and Kyle; 16 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren; three brothers, LeRoy Brockberg and Paul Brockberg, both of Pipestone, Minnesota and Harold and his wife Irma Brockberg of Alexandria, Minnesota; and two sisters-in-law, Helen Kollmann of Sioux City, Iowa and Eileen Brockberg of Fairmont, Minnesota. She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; one sister, Lore Graphenteen; and three brothers, Alvin, Walter and Raymond Brockberg.

Blessed be her memory.