Obituary of Laverne Joan Williams

Laverne Joan (Adolphson) Williams, 93, of Olympia, Washington, entered into the arms of her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ early Saturday morning, December 5, 2020, following a brief hospital stay due to pneumonia. 

 

Laverne was born May 26, 1927, in Everglade Township, Stevens County, Minnesota, and grew up on a farm near Chokio, Minnesota.  She studied at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, and then moved out West (as a church secretary at Central Lutheran in Portland, Oregon) where she met Rev. Bill Williams. The two were married on October 11, 1958, in Minnesota. The couple lived in Beaverton, Oregon; Victoria, British Columbia, Canada; Seattle, Washington; Astoria, Oregon; Boise, Idaho; and Lacey, Washington. 

 

Laverne was preceded in death by her husband, Bill; her parents, George and Freda Adolphson; her sisters, Georgia Brandt, Arline Mattson, Jeanette Pedersen, and Dorothy Young.  She is survived by her daughter, Beth (Jim) Tobin; her son, Joel (Amy) Williams; her sister, Margie Olson; her brother, Earl Adolphson; her grandchildren, Erika (Oliver) Bergh, Colin Tobin, Grace Tobin, Mikayla Williams, Annika Williams; and many loving nieces and nephews.

 

Laverne had a passion for service and helping others. She worked at the national church office of the Lutheran Church in America (Minnesota), and bought her first car to move West as a church secretary. Over her lifetime, she also was employed in the financial departments at JC Penney (Astoria), and at Scandinavian Design (Boise).  She organized the family home and enjoyed sewing, reading, cooking, baking, and church activities. She took pleasure in seasonal decor, games of just about any kind, and entertaining friends and family.

 

She loved to travel and camp with Bill. She loved the mountains that drew her to the West, and the Oregon coast — especially Cannon Beach.

 

Laverne was frugal. She maintained a stash of reusable plastic containers. She planned wonderful family vacations on a shoestring budget, was always resourceful, and had a deep faith that God would always provide. And God did. Laverne was generous with all that she had. 

 

She was well respected by others, in part because of her living example of Christian faith. In times of great struggle, she had her faith to rely on and see her through.  A life-long Lutheran (ELCA), Laverne subtly — and sometimes not so subtly — shared her love of Christ with many. 

 

Laverne loved music and enjoyed singing. She was a “power alto” and would sing the alto line with strength and spirit, whether it existed or not!  She was an active member of many Lutheran congregations throughout her lifetime, most recently, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Olympia.  

 

She remembered the birthdays of family members with thoughtful cards and kept a copy of the annual Christmas card that she and Bill sent out each year. She helped her extended family remain connected through cards, calls, emails, and social media.

 

Laverne advocated for what she thought was right — for justice, fairness, and equality. She spoke truth even when it was hard to hear.  Even animals listened to her.  On one camping trip, a bear approached the campsite where she was cooking breakfast. She turned to the bear, and with authority said, “You go away bear!” and it did!

 

Laverne was quick to share with others. Her baking was quite the hit as were the meals she prepared and shared with others in their times of need.

 

She advocated to see holiday decorations put up in the Quinault building at Panorama retirement community to help lift the spirits of those isolated during the global pandemic, and she enjoyed and valued all of her wonderful neighbors on the fourth floor at Panorama.

 

She was an active member of the Scandinavian Society of Southwest Idaho while living in Boise and was a part of the Parkinson’s Support Group at Panorama.

 

Laverne maintained a spirit of thankfulness and appreciation right to the end, thanking her doctors and care givers, appreciating all that they were doing to ease her transition, and giving thanks and gratitude for her “amazing family” near and far that she had been blessed with. 

 

In one of her many “little chats with God,” he had told her that this was not the end.  Indeed, it’s a new beginning and a reunion as well.

 

At the end of every Lutheran worship service, we hear the words, “Go in peace. Serve the Lord,” to which the congregation responds, “Thanks be to God!” This seems so appropriate for her life.

 

Go in peace, Laverne Joan Williams — Wife, Mother, Sister, Grandma, Child of God, and Great Grandma-to-be. 

 

Thanks be to God!

 

A service for Laverne will be held online December 27, 2020, 2:00 p.m. PST. Please emain LaverneService@gmail.com for information about attending.

 

In lieu of flowers, gifts in memory of Laverne may be given to:

 

• Gloria Dei Lutheran Church Mortgage Principle Pay-down, www.GloriaDeiOlympia.org (Select the red donate button and enter your donation next to “Mortgage Principle Pay-down”.)

 

• ELCA Fund for Leaders, https://www.elca.org/Our-Work/Leadership/ELCA-Fund-for-Leaders

 

• ELCA World Hunger, https://www.elca.org/Our-Work/Relief-and-Development/ELCA-World-Hunger

 

• Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary, https://www.plts.edu/support/

 

• Pacific Lutheran University, https://www.plu.edu/advancement/ways-to-give/#

 

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