LaVonne was born December 12, 1936 in Rochester, Minnesota to Wilmer and Marie (Braun) Zimmerman. She grew up in Rochester and graduated from Lourdes High School in 1954. On July 14, 1956 she was united in marriage to Thomas Mengis in Rochester. They started their married lives and family in St. Paul. In 1967, they moved to Mabel where she and Tom purchased the Mengis Funeral Home from Tom’s father, F.J. Mengis. They later purchased the Mabel Variety Store which they operated for 15 years, retiring in 1997. Tom passed away on August 1, 2008.
LaVonne was very community oriented and was involved in the Mabel Business Association and had been the treasurer for many years. She was also active at the St. Olaf Catholic Church and the Altar Society. LaVonne was also a longtime member of the American Legion Auxiliary and the VFW Auxiliary. Her greatest joy was seeing and spending time with her family and friends, and attending her children and grandchildren and great grandchildren’s activities. She enjoyed trips to play slots at the casino, jigsaw puzzles, crocheting and knitting baby blankets for all of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She also had enjoyed doing ceramics.
LaVonne passed away Friday, August 20, 2021 at her home surrounded by her family at the age of 84.
LaVonne is survived by five children Terry (Wayne) Austin of Mabel, Jean Mengis of Bloomington, Minnesota, Lisa (Mike) Stone of Stewartville, Minnesota, Tim (Sarah Delaney) of Mabel, and Steve of Rochester; eight grandchildren Nathan, Riley (Carrie), and Jacob (Leah) Austin, Naysha (Clark Redlinger) Stone, and Bethany Vaith, Kristina and Alexander Mengis, and Braedon Mengis; great grandchildren Jayce and Libby Austin, Ally, Ella, and Reid Austin, and Fiona and Penelope Vaith; two sisters Phyllis (Orville) Alcott of Rochester, and Linda (Steve) Hanson of Eyota; sisters-in-law Judy Zimmerman of Rochester and Mary Ann McDermott of Woodbury, Minnesota; brother-in-law James Mengis of Iowa City, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas, her parents, an infant son, two brothers David and Daniel, and sister-in-law Eileen Mengis.
Visitation will be 5 – 7 PM Wednesday, August 25, with a prayer service at 4:30, at the Mengis Funeral Home in Mabel and one hour prior to the service at the church. Funeral Mass will be 11 AM Thursday, August 26, 2021 at the St. Olaf Catholic Church in Mabel with Father Matthew Wagner officiating. Burial will be in the Mabel Public Cemetery in Mabel. Memorials are preferred to the Mabel Public Cemetery or St. Olaf Catholic Church. |
