LaVonne Katrina Weaver

Aug 13, 2023

LaVonne Katrina Weaver

Feb. 25, 1931 – May 22, 2023

LaVonne Katrina Weaver passed away on May 22, 2023 in State College, PA following a massive stroke. LaVonne Katrina Monge was born February 25, 1931 in Longview, WA. She was the daughter of Marcus Ferdinand Monge and Sophia Lassila Monge.

LaVonne grew up on the West coast in a strongly Scandinavian area. Though she was born in Longview, the family moved to Seaside, OR from about 1933 until 1941. Her family was of Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish heritage which greatly influenced her upbringing. Her childhood years were spent near her grandparents' dairy farm. LaVonne played on the beach, swam in the Pacific, picked the abundant coastal berries, and helped her Mom, who had a commercial clamming license, dig clams. Saturdays were sauna days, and the kids gathered birch branches for the weekly family ritual. The matriarchs of the family prepared their familiar ethnic foods, which LaVonne later cooked for her own family. There was smoked fish, clam chowder, Finnish fruit pudding, and other wonderful fare.

All of her female family members were skilled in the fiber arts: crocheting, sewing, embroidery and weaving—though at the time those skills were considered to be more function than art. LaVonne was an artist with design, color and fabric, and was a consummate quilter. Her quilts and smaller works warm and grace the beds of her family and friends, and adorn the walls of some as pure art.

LaVonne graduated from Robert A. Long High School in Longview, WA. She met her future husband, Carl H. Weaver of Lemont, while visiting the home of her Aunt and Uncle, Adina and Earl Ganong, on Montezuma Road in Dillon, CO. Their long-distance romance resulted in marriage July 20, 1951 at her home in Longview, followed by a bicycle honeymoon from the West Coast across the Rocky Mountains before such adventures were ever popular. Though the couple never made it by bicycle to PA, a train ride completed their journey.

The couple settled in Lemont, PA where Carl and LaVonne built their first home together. Two daughters, Debra and Suzanne, were born in 1953 and 1955 to complete the family. In 1965 Carl and LaVonne bought Linden Springs Farm near Linden Hall where the two lived until 2005. During that time LaVonne completed her Bachelors of Science in Rural Sociology, and pursued a Masters in that field. Her studies led her to a job in the Animal Disease Lab at Penn State.

Later her passion for quilting and the arts resulted in a job with Village Crafts, which she enjoyed for many years. Her talent with fabric and color was further inspired here, and she created magnificent quilts, wall hangings and anything fabric for the remainder of her life. Her quilting companions became lifelong friends, attending quilt shows and quilt camps together. LaVonne continued to belong to the Thursday Quilting Group that met at Juniper Village where she resided the last decade of her life. She also loved to play bridge and rummikub, and was active in a multitude of social activities. She was an avid reader, volunteered in the resident library and belonged to the Juniper Book Club

LaVonne was energetic, talented, creative and feisty. She loved to entertain family and friends at the farm, and was a marvelous cook. When she lived at a condo at Wellington Green she hosted a memorable party for a large group of friends and family, and cooked all of the food herself, even hiring an Elvis impersonator for the occasion. It was no surprise that her 90th birthday also featured an Elvis impersonator, and she invited all to come, "shake, rattle and roll" with her.

LaVonne was predeceased by her husband, Carl H. Weaver in 2011. She is survived by her two daughters, Debra L. (Charles C.) Nydegger of Linden Hall, PA, and Suzanne F. (William G.) Dreibelbis Jr. of Mechanicsburg, PA. Surviving siblings are Adina R. (Oscar W., deceased) Laulainen of Longview, WA, and Marcus Theodore (Millie L., deceased) Monge of Westport, WA. She leaves a niece and nephew: Adina (Dindy) Johnson (Gary, deceased) Styve of Lake Havasu, AZ, and Gerald S. "Butch" (Reina Christine Phillips) Johnson of Westport, WA.

LaVonne is survived by six grandchildren: William A. (Katie Cumerford) of Mechanicsburg, PA, Carl E. (Amy Slobozien) of Middletown, PA, Katrina L. (Brandon) Spigelmyer of Duncannon, PA, Erin A. (Daniel) Roth of Wyomissing, PA, Andrew C. (Kelly Cochran) Nydegger of Douglasville, PA, and Tessa (Thomas) Folino of Julian, PA.

She also leaves 11 great-grandchildren: James (Jack) W., Claire E., and Molly D. Dreibelbis of Middletown PA, Skylar L., Julia C., and Astrid G. Roth of Wyomissing, PA; and Anna B., Adam W., John P., Paul P., and David P. Folino of Julian, PA.

LaVonne was well loved and will be deeply missed.

Wetzler Funeral Home of Bellefonte, PA has handled funeral arrangements. A private Celebration of Life will be held at a later date. Interment will be at Stover Cemetery in Aaronsburg, PA. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made "In Memory of LaVonne K. Weaver," Rock Hill School at Linden Hall, P.O. Box 151, Boalsburg, PA 16827, or "In Memory of LaVonne K. Weaver," Juniper Resident Library, Juniper Village at Brookline, Care of Liz Plozner-Chalfa, 1930 Cliffside Drive, State College, PA 16801.

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