WILKES, Lavonne (Paulson) 1932-2001

PAULSON, WILKES

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 12/4/2009 at 21:02:39

Lavonne (Paulson) Wilkes 1931-2001

Lavonne Wilkes, age 69, of Tyler, Minnesota, died on September 6, 2001.

She was born on Oct. 6, 1931, in Austin, Minnesota, to Hans and Irene (Smith) Paulson.

She was baptized and confirmed at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Austin. She graduated from Austin High School in 1949 and attended Austin Jr. College. She graduated from Mankato State college in 1965 with a B.S. degree in elementary education and a master's degree in 1971 in reading language arts. She taught at Waterville-Elysian elementary school from 1965-1972 and at several elementary schools in Rochester from 1972 until she retired in 1991.

Lavonne and Dean Wilkes were married on April 1, 1951, at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Austin. They celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with family and friends this past spring at their winter home in Bullhead City, Arizona.

Her hobbies included golf, traveling, bowling, handwork and crafts and going to casinos.

She was a member of the First English Lutheran Church, the VFW Auxiliary #1216 in Austin, the National Education Association, the ADK (Alpha Delta Kappa) Sorority, RARE (Rochester Area Retired Educators) and a past member of the Rochester Lioness Club.

Survivors include her husband, Dean; three daughters, Pamela (Charles) Hunt, Tyler; Wendy (Kelly) Clarey, Wehpeton, N.D.; Denise (Charles) Karau, Rochester; one son, James Wilkes, Tolleson, Ariz.; five sisters, Charlotte (Roger) Miller, Austin; Arlene Hemphill, Faribault, Minn; Shirley Honsey, Tucson, Ariz.; Irene (Doug) Wilson, Austin; Karen (Ross) Noble, Austin; sisters-in-law, Dorothy Hardtke, Rochester; Naomi Paulson, Austin; five grandchildren; six step-grandchildren; nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Hans; and three sisters, Dorothy, Evelyn and Mildred.

Service: 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2001, at First English Lutheran Church, in Tyler, with Pastor Steve Carmany officiating.

Interment: Riverside Cemetery in Riceville, Iowa, at a later date.

Funeral Home: Utoft-Johansen Funeral and Cremation Services, in Tyler and Lake Benton, Minn., are in charge of arrangements

[Austin Daily Herald - Sept. 7, 2001]