(nee Wallner) Born to Eternal Life on Sunday, January 7, 2024. Age 92. Preceded in death by her husband, Leroy Schaffner who passed away on October 15, 2013; her parents, Michael and Leona Wallner; and her brother, Willard Wallner.
Dear mother of Diane (Patrick) Kullmann, Kathleen Valdovinos, Leroy (Michele) Schaffner and Bonnie (John) Otto. Loving grandmother of Angela (Russell) Grace, Brenda (Greg) King, Jennifer (Eric) Fekete, Mark (Katie) Valdovinos, Ryan (Ashlie) Schaffner, Kelsey (Zack) Perthel, Sara (fiance Ryan Erickson) Otto, Jessica (Cody) Wood and Whitney (Erich) Maas; and great-grandmother to, Collin, Iris, Jake, Hunter, Dane, Deven, Shelby, Lucas, Cadence, Beckham, Elise, Pierce, Lancia, Riley, Howard, Elias and Lilith. Further survived by nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Visitation Friday, January 12, 2024 from 10:00am until Time of Service at 11:00am at UNITY Lutheran Church-Cross of Life Campus, 20700 W. North Avenue, Brookfield. Interment to follow at Wisconsin Memorial Park, Brookfield.
LaVerne was born and raised in the Milwaukee area. She married the love of her life Leroy in 1949 and enjoyed 64 wonderful years together. LaVerne and Leroy had a special marriage and enjoyed spending every minute together. So much so that LaVerne even took up goose hunting so she could join her husband in a hunting blind.
LaVerne had successful careers working for the County of Milwaukee and the Master Lock Company. However, she left those pursuits behind for her dream job of being a childcare provider for a very special family.
She was always the strength and backbone of her family. When grandchildren would visit, her husband, Leroy, always had money in his pocket to buy Happy Meals for the little ones. What most people don’t know was that it was LaVerne who kept a stash of Happy Meal Money and would sneak it into her husband’s pocket.
LaVerne also loved to travel, and road trips were her favorite way to do it. From single day trips, to weeks on the road. She cherished them all. Her favorite place to visit was the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. She loved to be high up in the mountains, surrounded by nature. She also enjoyed finding those special little restaurants on the way. She also had an adventurous side and went whitewater rafting and horseback riding in the mountains.
Despite all of her adventure and travels, the greatest joy in LaVerne’s life was her family. Her children were her world. She taught them how to love and how to be caring. No matter what was going on in her life or how busy she was, there was always time for family. She especially enjoyed spending time with the grandchildren and watching them grow up, and eventually giving her the title of Great Grandma. There were very few times she didn’t have a child in her arms.
LaVerne’s favorite holiday was Easter. Her favorite tradition was to hide Easter candy in her backyard for all grandkids to find. She truly enjoyed having everyone together.
LaVerne was as beautiful as the Gladiolus flower. Which makes it fitting that it was also her favorite flower. Laverne will be deeply missed by friends and family, but she has now been reunited with her love, Leroy where they will be eternally together in Heaven.