Velma Lorene (Larsen) LAU

LAU, LARSEN, JENNINGS, BURKET, DUNN, MOORE

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/18/2012 at 14:02:09

August 22, 1927 ---- January 21, 2012

Velma L. Lau, 84, of Garner, died on Saturday, January 21, 2012, at the Mercy Hospice in Johnston, Iowa. Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m., on Tuesday, January 24, at the Madrid Home Chapel in Madrid, Iowa, with Rev. Carla Werre officiating. A graveside service will be held on Thursday, January 26, in the Ell Township Cemetery in Klemme, with Rev. Brian Lund of the Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church officiating. Visitation will be held from 4-7:00 p.m., on Wednesday, at the Cataldo Funeral Chapel in Garner.

Velma Lorene (Larsen) Lau, was born on August 22, 1927, to Martin and Minnie (Jennings) Larsen on the Larsen farm west of Titonka. Velma attended grades 1-8 in the Portland Township #1 rural school and high school at the Buffalo Consolidated in Titonka. She graduated from Waldorf College and later attended summer classes at Mankato State College and Iowa University. She taught elementary grades at Lakota, Burt, Garner and Clear Lake. On June 4, 1958, she was married to Verner Lau of Klemme at the Titonka Methodist Church. Verner and Velma had two daughters, Barbara Jean (Lau) Burket and Debra Sue (Lau) Dunn. The couple engaged in farming in Avery Township near Klemme until retiring to Garner in June of 1988. Verner and Velma were very involved in activities in their church, the Klemme United Church of Christ. The couple enjoyed each other's company very much and could be found together doing everything from housework to traveling. In 2002, they moved to the Prairie View Apartments in Garner. Velma later moved to the Madrid Home Apartments in 2006. In January of 2011, she became a resident of the Madrid Home nursing center.

Velma is survived by her two daughters, Barb (Greg) Burket of Minburn and Deb (Jess) Dunn of Grimes; three grandchildren, Mikaela Dunn, Blake Dunn and Heidi Burket who have brought much joy to her. She was preceded in death by her husband, Verner in 2004; her parents; three brothers, Vernon, Glenn and Lewis Larsen; and one sister, Elsie Moore.

Cataldo Funeral Home
http://www.cataldofuneralhome.com/obituary/80402/Velma-Lau-of-Madrid-Iowa/