LaVerna Lou (Ott) Nygaard

LAVERNA NYGAARD

1947 - 2015 | Obituary

LaVerna ""Bernie"" Lou (Ott) Nygaard, 67, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend, passed away early Sunday morning, September 6, 2015. LaVerna was born on December 25, 1947 in York, NE to Oscar C. Ott and Luella (Wall) Ott.

LaVerna lived her early and teenage years in Henderson, NE graduating from Henderson High School with the Class of 1966. She attended Bethel College in Newton, KS, Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln, NE, and Wichita State University in Wichita, KS. She was awarded an honorary degree of Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Art from Bethel College on November 25, 1987 for her service in helping those in need.

LaVerna married David A. Nygaard, November 27, 1970 at the Bethel College Mennonite Church in North Newton, KS. They enjoyed forty-four years of friendship and happiness. Together they raised two daughters. LaVerna had a fun sense of humor, unlimited optimism, was artistic, loved decorating, and enjoyed all the animals who made her backyard home, especially the squirrels. Even though she was disabled as a result of an automobile accident, she was a great homemaker and tended to the needs of her family as best she could.

She was preceded in death by her parents and granddaughter Sienna Daniels.

Survivors: Two daughters, Nichole (Robert) Daniels of Topeka, KS and their sons Royce, Brody, and Lucas; Natalie (Cody) Ioerger of Manhattan, KS and their daughter Zoe and son Edison; Sister Carol (Richard) Busentiz of Whitewater, KS, and several nieces and nephews and their children.

Family visitation will be Thursday, September 10 from 6:00 to 8:00pm and the Memorial Service will be Friday, September 11 at 10:00 AM, both held at the First United Church of Christ, 210 East 4th in Newton, KS. Family gravesite services will be held at a future date.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials in her honor to be given to The Nygaard Family Scholarship Fund in care of Central Kansas Community Foundation, 301 North Main Street, Newton KS 67114 or The Rotary International Foundation Polio Fund in care of the Petersen Funeral Home.