Obituary - LaVerna Margaret McFadden

LaVerna Margaret McFadden, 97, went to be with her Lord on Tuesday, March 29, 2016, in her Lakeside home with her youngest daughter by her side.

She was born Sept. 14, 1918, on a farm South of Rudyard, Montana, to Frank and Bertha Struck and baptized into the Lutheran faith that same month. She was the second of eight children and lived her entire life in Montana.

LaVerna received her first year of education in Kalispell. Her family then moved back to Rudyard where she continued her schooling, graduating in the class of 1936. She participated in athletics, basketball and track being her favorite sports. After graduation she worked in Cut Bank for a year, in the secretarial area. The following year she attended Kinman Business College in Spokane. She was unable to complete the last quarter of college because she had to return home and care for her ailing mother.

While attending a community dance at Minneota Hall with brother Truman, she met her future husband, Dean McFadden. On March 29, 1940, LaVerna eloped with Dean and made the long journey to Shelby in a silver pickup to be married. They spent 59 wonderful years together on the family farm north of Inverness. LaVerna was the mother of three children, Teddy, Betty Rae and Paulette.

At an early age, LaVerna was cooking for harvest crews, hence, she became an incredible cook and baker.

Family and friends enjoyed many delicious meals because of her expertise. She was an immaculate housekeeper and an excellent seamstress. Having six brothers almost all in the military, she was very patriotic. She thoroughly enjoyed parades.

Although the farm pace was extremely busy, she still had time for community commitments, too. Using her business education, she kept the school lunch accounts in check for the Inverness School District as well as for the farm. Not only was she active in school and church activities, but became involved with the Hill County mental health programs, later serving as secretary on the Montana State Mental Health Board. Among her special interests, she enjoyed playing cards, board games, reading, gardening — especially flowers, embroidery, and watching basketball games on TV. Whether she was on the prairie or in the mountains, birds fascinated her. She was an avid collector of owl images.

LaVerna and Dean had a passion for dancing. As the decades rolled on, that passion grew stronger during retirement years.

Flathead Lake was their ideal place for retirement. In the mid-1980s a retirement home was designed and constructed by them. There were numerous memorable moments with family and friends. Taking road trips in the motorhome was a treasured event for LaVerna. Upon moving to Lakeside she became a member of Eidsvold Lutheran church.

Her greatest love was her family.

She was always there for them. She was dearly loved by her husband, her children, her five grandchildren and many great-grandchildren.

She is survived by two daughters, Betty Rae Mowen and husband, Tom, of Havre and Paulette McFadden of Lakeside; four grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Carol Struck of Great Falls; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, Lawrence, Truman, George, Dennis, Harley and Harold, one sister, Dorothea in infancy; her husband, Dean; her son, Teddy; and one granddaughter, Heather.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the North Star Foundation, P. O. Box 14, Rudyard, MT 59540; Hi-Line Health Foundation, P. O. Box 705, c/o Julie Erickson, Chester, MT 59522; Lutheran Hour Ministries, 660 Mason Ridge Center Drive, St. Louis, MO 63141-8557.

There will be a memorial service at 1 p.m., Tuesday, June 28, at St. Paul Lutheran, Church, 1100 11th Ave., Havre, with a luncheon reception to follow.