LaVonne Emery

Our beloved mother, LaVonne Emery, passed away Monday, March 27, 2017, at Sanford Health, Bismarck. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am Friday, March 31, at First Lutheran Church, 800 N. 7th St., Bismarck, with Rev. Allen Wagner officiating. Burial will be held at 2:00 pm Friday at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. LaVonne Alice was born January 18, 1932, in Tuttle, ND, the daughter of Edward and Emma (Rosenau) Dockter. The Dockter family moved to Bismarck in about 1938 where LaVonne went to school, graduating from Bismarck High School in 1950. She went on to earn a teaching degree from Minot State College. LaVonne taught country school in the Zahl area, north of Williston, where she met Clinton Emery. They were married on November 27, 1953, in Bismarck. The couple lived in Zahl until 1956, when they moved to Bismarck and resided for the rest of their lives. LaVonne was a very active woman. She was involved for many years with the VFW Auxiliary Post 1326, Bismarck, and Zahl VFW post before that. She loved bowling and participated in many tournaments across the state and even the national tournament in Las Vegas, NV. In 1963 she went to work as the librarian at Will-Moore Elementary. Later in 1966, she went to work as a nursing aide at St. Alexius Hospital where she continued her career, becoming a LPN in 1975. She worked in the ICU and on the surgical floor until she retired in 1995. LaVonne then did home health care until fully retiring in 1997, to care for her husband, Clinton, who passed away that same year. LaVonne was a devoted wife and mother. Her kindness and generosity has touched many family, friends, and anyone who met her. She was active in her church, teaching Sunday school in her younger years, helped at church events, weddings, funerals, fundraisers, and reading scriptures. LaVonne was always a caring, giving person. LaVonne is survived by her son, Greg Emery; her daughters, Marcy Baumgartner and Susan (Larry) McCorkell; grandchildren, Megan (Steve) Riddle, Victor Baumgartner, John Baumgartner, Lisa Baumgartner, Travis Collins, Mandi Collins, Larry John McCorkell, Wendella McCorkell; great-grandchildren, Nick Riddle, Alex Riddle, Cayleb Elhard, Emma Elhard, Dawson McLellan, Dominick Olzweski; her sister, Iris Hilzendeger; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Gene and Joann Emery, Williston; and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clinton; her parents, Ed and Emma Dockter; sisters and brothers-in-law, Clarinda and Paul Fowler, Luella and Claire Boyer; brother, Curly Dockter; nephews, Steve Fowler, Rhett Hilzendeger, Chris Boyer; great-nephews, Travis Gunlikson, Jeff Fowler, Beckett Hilzendeger; in-laws, Ralph and Blonda Emery, Julian and Lorraine Gunlikson, and Duane and Donna Gafkjen; and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.