LaVerne Marie (Shetler) Horst, 105, died Dec. 2, 2023. She was born at Cheraw, Colo., the second in a family of 11 children born to Milton and Ada (Miller) Shetler.
The family moved to Hesston, Kan., in 1930, and she graduated from Hesston High School in 1937. She married Frank Horst of Peabody, Kan., in 1940. In 1941 they moved to Culp, Ark., where Frank pastored Bethel Springs Mennonite Church. Seven children were born in Arkansas, where the family began singing together at home, which expanded to singing for churches and hospitals.
They moved to Hubbard, Ore., in 1960, where Frank co-pastored Meadowbrook Community Church. In churches along the way from Arkansas to Oregon, the family gave programs of singing, and Frank preached. More family programs were given in churches in the Willamette Valley during the next three years. In 1963 the family moved to Filer, Idaho, where Frank pastored Faith Memorial Church. In 1967 they moved to Warden, Wash., when Frank was called to pastor Warden Mennonite Church. He retired in 1978. They later lived near Newport, Wash., (Spring Valley Mennonite Church) and Aberdeen, Idaho, (Aberdeen Mennonite Church) while Frank was interim pastor.
LaVerne enjoyed traveling by car, backpacking and camping, bicycle trips with family and hiking into the Grand Canyon. She visited most of the states as well as Canada, Mexico, Bolivia and Peru. In 2012 she moved Warden to live beside daughter Phyllis Dorsing and her husband, Curt.
She enjoyed playing the piano and singing, tending her flowers and vegetables, sewing, putting together puzzles and reading. She lived independently in her own home until the last few weeks of her life. With a joyful spirit and positive outlook, she was a blessing and inspiration to her family.
She is survived by five children, Annada (Dick) Pedersen of Eugene Ore., Salome Horst of Spokane, Wash., Phyllis (Curt) Dorsing of Othello, Wash., Ferne Flaming of Terrebonne, Ore., and Patricia (Bob) Tilden of Moscow, Idaho; 16 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank, in 2005; and two children, Karen Haury and Tim Horst.
A celebration of her life will be held at 11 a.m. June 15 at Warden Community Church in Washington.