LaVerne O'Keefe

Ollie LaVerne O’Keefe, 88, of Marysville, KS, passed away Sunday, January 21, 2024.

Visitation was Thursday, January 25, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Kinsley Mortuary.

A funeral service was held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, January 26, at the Marysville Methodist Church.  Pastor Insung Kim officiated.

Burial followed in the Marysville City Cemetery.

The pallbearers were Jordy Nelson, Jess Urban, Beau Urban, Briggs Urban, Boston Urban, Shawn Miller, Robert Yager and Austin Gabrielson.

LaVerne was born January 20, 1936, at St. Joseph, MO, to William Harold and Eldora Margaret (Hait) Brewer.  In 1953, she graduated from Hastings High School.

On May 6, 1954, she married James Dale O’Keefe in Hastings, Nebraska.  They had  3 daughters Margaret, Mary Ann, and Maureen.

In 1973, Jim and LaVerne moved to Marysville where they resided until 1979.  In 1979, they moved to Denver, CO, when Jim transferred seniority with a Denver Union Pacific Railroad employee to be near the Rocky Mountains.  In 1997, Jim passed away and LaVerne moved back to Marysville in 2000.

LaVerne enjoyed belonging to many organizations.  She was an avid collector of Precious Moments and member of the Precious Moments Club in Denver for many years.  She took trips to the Philippines, Germany, Paris, and Alaska where she met with Sam Butcher, the founder of Precious Moments.  LaVerne and her friend, Shirley, traveled with a group of ladies and everywhere they went they were known as “LaVerne and Shirley.”  She was also involved in Eastern Star, R.S.V.P, United Methodist Church Circle, N.A.R.V.E., and the Union Pacific Employees Club #28 where she traveled to many conventions.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Eldora Brewer; husband, James O’Keefe; an infant daughter; and sons-in-law, Dean Nelson and Paul Michener.

Survivors include three daughters, Margaret Kouns of Brighton, CO, Mary Ann (Bob) Yager and Maureen Nelson, all of Marysville; brother, Harold Dewayne (Diane) Brewer of Home, KS; six grandchildren, eighteen great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

A memorial fund has been established and will be designated later.  Contributions may be sent in care of Kinsley Mortuary.