LaVerne Stephens

LaVerne Stephens passed away peacefully at her home on December 24, 2021, with her daughter Mary Lou by her side. She was 91 years old. LaVerne was preceded in death by her husband of 70 years, James Stephens, parents Vernon and Ella, brother Vernon, sisters Mamie, Delores, Eleanor, Colleen, and Carol. She is survived by her sister Kathy Dunton, and brother Robert, her 4 children, Patrick, Jane (and Jack Smith), Martha (and Terry Waschke) and Mary Lou; ten grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews including beloved niece DonnaLea Fullaway. LaVerne was born January 7th, 1930, the 4th born of 9, in Bellingham, Washington. She grew up in Bellingham and graduated from Bellingham high school in 1947. After high school, she trained as a stenographer and worked for the Whatcom County Courthouse and later as a bookkeeper for the family business. In 1948 she married her high school sweetheart, Jim Stephens and raised her family in Whatcom County. LaVerne lived her life by the adage, “whatever you do, do it well”, and that was evident by the beautiful roses she grew from cuttings, her gardening expertise, cooking, baking, cake decorating and sewing to name just a few of the things she did exceedingly well. She was an avid reader, and had many interests that included attending the theater for performances of ballet, opera and Broadway musicals, which she shared with her children. She loved spending time in the mountains, hiking, picking berries and gathering leaf mold to feed her garden beds and was no stranger to hard work. LaVerne loved to travel, and traveled all over the country from Alaska to Maine. She enjoyed several walking tours of Britain’s English Gardens, and the English countryside, planning and leading some of those excursions herself for family and friends. She also enjoyed an adventure on a small sailboat sailing from Greece to Turkey. She passed many of her interests, skills and sense of adventure on to her children and grandchildren. At her request, there will be no memorial service at this time. In remembrance of LaVerne we asked that you plant a rose or a tree in her honor. LaVerne was dearly loved and will be missed. As Thomas Wilder said, “It’s hard to turn the page when you know someone won’t be in the next chapter, but the story must go on”. The family takes comfort in the words of Tom Stoppard, “Every exit is an entry somewhere else”.

LaVerne Stephens

January 7, 1930 - December 24, 2021