LaVerna Byers

LaVerna Byers passed from this life on Oct. 1, 2016 in Boise, Idaho. Her earthly journey began in Walthill, Neb., on March 30, 1927, as the first child of Glenn and Olive Garwood.

Always the "big sis," she tried to ride herd on her rambunctious little brothers, played piano for her tap-dancing sisters as they entertained the crowds at the Old Settlers Picnics in Walthill and started a tradition of the "Great Gathering of Garwood Kids" biannual reunion, which continued through 2012.

While she had many interesting employment opportunities -- scheduling airline stewardesses, Executive Assistant at Sun Valley and Boise Cascade and real estate broker in Boise and McCall -- her favorite and most rewarding "job" was that of mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She would sooth a colicy baby with coos and snuggles, play cards and scrabble with the grandkids, teach the neighborhood girls ballet and always showed up at the farm with a big pink box of Dunkin Donuts. She even made little white gloves so her girls' Easter outfits were perfect.

Yet this slight and gentle lady could sneak up on an unsuspecting antelope and turn it into a delicious meal before it knew what hit him. She loved growing beautiful flower gardens and watching the birds in her yards. She did it all and made life fun for everyone around her.

LaVerna had a wonderful way with people of all kinds and collected many friends throughout the years. She had a treasured friendship with her very best buddy, Alice, with whom she shared oh-so-many adventures, travels to Mexico and getting robbed at lunch in Guadalajara, remodeling old houses, taking a hammer and crowbar to some pesky walls and stairways and laughing all the while. Oh, there wasn't much that they didn't dare tackle together.

She also had a very special bond with her cousin, Margaret. As little girls in Nebraska, they celebrated their birthdays together and continued to do so off and on throughout their lives, spending a wonderful birthday week together just this spring as they turned 89 and 90 years old.

LaVerna was a lovely and generous person and we, her family, were so blessed to have been the recipients of her love all these years.

LaVerna was greeted in the Great Beyond by her parents; her sister, Barbara; her brother, Doug; ex-husband Jim; son Jim and great granddaughter, Ryleigh. She is remembered with love by her daughters and sons-in-law, Nancy and Jeff Blanksma and Lauri and Ed Wegrzyniak; siblings Jud (Shirley), Donna and Bill (Gloria) and sister-in-law Betty; grandchildren Carri, Jeff, Nick, Josh, Jamie, Tori and Kallie; and great grandchildren Bayleigh, Adrie, Tucker, Karder, Jarrit, Aubree, Paisleigh, Mazie, Adalyn and Wayden and a whole passel of adoring nieces and nephews.

A special thank you to the wonderful care-givers at the Iris House at Regency Columbia Village for their kind and tender care over the past year.

A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 5, at 11 a.m. at the Glenns Ferry United Methodist church in Glenns Ferry, Idaho. Graveside services will be Oct. 22 at 11 a.m. at Evergreen Cemetary in Walthill, Neb.

Memorials may be sent to either the Glenns Ferry Methodist Church, P.O. Box 276, Glenns Ferry, ID 83623 or the Walthill United Methodist Church, 104 Taft St., Walthill, NE 68067 or a favorite charity.