LaVonne Ethel (Friesleben) CHRISTOPHER MANGELS

FRIESLEBEN, MANGELS, YOUNG, CHRISTOPHER, ELIAS, ADAMS, CRABB, WOLFE, KELSO, LESLIE

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/23/2009 at 09:25:09

LaVonne Ethel (Friesleben) Mangels, 86, of Spencer, and formerly of Hartley, passed away Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008, at Mercy Hospital Medical Center in Sioux City. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008, at Warner Chapel in Spencer. Rev. Paul Hansen will officiate the service. Private family burial will take place at a later date.

LaVonne Ethel Friesleben Mangels was born on January 4, 1922, at Belmond, Iowa to William "Bill" Friesleben and Millie (Young) Friesleben. She received her early education from a country school near Alexander and graduated from Alexander High School in 1940. After high school she worked as head waitress in the Hokel Cafe in Belmond, until she met and married Roy H. Christopher, of Hartley, to which one daughter, Jacquelyn Ann Christopher, was born. She worked in Red's Cafe in Hartley, Iowa for many years. Later she met and married Adolph E. Mangels, to which one daughter, Betty Lou Mangels, was born. They moved to Arnolds Park in 1966 where she was a waitress on the Empress, and sold tickets for the amusement park in the summer months. Later she worked for Berkley & Co. for 10 years and was also a Mary Kay Consultant for several years. After the death of Mr. Mangels in 1985 she remained alone in Milford for several years until she met Earl A. Elias. He became her longtime beloved companion until he died in 2001. After Earl died, LaVonne lived at Sunset Apartments in Spencer until February 2008 when she moved to Northshire. She was a member of Fostoria Methodist Church.

Preceding her in death were her parents; both husbands; her beloved companion Earl; One stepson and daughter-in-law; two step-grandchildren. Left to cherish her memories are both daughters Jacquelyn Ann Christopher of Atlantic and Betty Lou Adams Crabb and husband, Mike of Spencer; three step-daughters Bonnie Wolfe of Norwalk, Calif., Floris Kelso of Northridge, Calif., and Peggy Leslie of Dickens, and their families, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, as well as many other friends and relatives.

Spencer Daily Reporter, Iowa
October 8, 2008