LaVonne Veverly Anderson, age 96, rural Drayton, North Dakota,  passed away on February 23, 2018 at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, North Dakota.

LaVonne was born in Svea Township, Kittson County, Minnesota on November 10, 1921, to Ida (Roswell) and Eric Soderfelt at her aunt and uncle's home, Freida and Alfred Gabrielson.  She spent her first six years at a rural school. She was a 1939 graduate from St. Thomas High School, St. Thomas, North Dakota.  After graduation she moved to Culver City, California where she worked for the Douglas Aircraft Company to help in the war effort. She lived with her sister, Thelma who also had moved out there for work. LaVonne painted the SBD Bombers which were made for both the army and navy.  LaVonne worked her way up through many jobs to the highest paid job for a women; $1.00 an hour, which included painting a star on the tail section of the plane. She was warned to not talk about what they were doing or what they saw in the plant.  "Zip your lip or sink a ship" was a popular motto.

After the war she returned to Minnesota and worked at Lillegard's Department store in Drayton, North Dakota right across the Red River. She met the love of her life, Chester Anderson and they were married on July 18, 1948 at the Skjeberg Lutheran Church. They lived in Teien Township where they were engaged in farming.  LaVonne drove combine and beet truck and was a true partner with Chester proving herself equally competent in the fields and in the kitchen.  Dear to her heart were her family, her church, growing flowers, reading and baking goodies for her guys.

LaVonne is survived by her three children:  Lynette Lorenzen, Somers, Montana, Roger (Bernice) Anderson, rural Drayton, North Dakota, Kristi (Tom) Heine, Drayton, North Dakota and her sister, Lorna McFarland, Drayton, North Dakota.  She has six grandchildren; Peyton (Angie) Berg, Emmett (Esther) Berg, Sevrin Anderson, Stacey (Josh) Hohn, Katrina (Aaron) Krueger and Dustin (Eden) Heine. She has thirteen great grandchildren; Leah, Samantha, Parker, Jonah, David, Paige, Grayson, Charlie, Elliott, Chloe, Haley Jo, Kylie and Jaxon.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Chester Anderson, her parents, Eric and Ida Soderfelt, sisters Thelma Moleiro and Lila Uggerud and her brother, Kenneth Soderfelt.

Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday, March 3, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. in Skjeberg Lutheran Church rural Drayton. Pastor Jon Dryburgh, presiding; Marlys Nelson, organist; Laurel Johnson and Lyndon Johnson, duet. Casket bearers will be Bryan Uggerud, Tyler McFarland, Jeff Anderson, Keith Dziengel, Bill LaHaise and Stanley Visness.  Visitation will be held at Austin Funeral Chapel in Drayton on Friday, March 2, 2018 from 6 to 8 pm with a prayer service at 7 pm.  Burial will be at a later date in the Skjeberg Cemetery.