Laveta Edwards – UPDATED

Funeral services for 78-year old Laveta Edwards are Monday, July 24, 2023, at 10:00 in the Gordon City Auditorium in Gordon, NE

Following the burial, there will be a luncheon at King Pin Lanes, if anyone would like to bring a salad or dessert, it would be greatly appreciated.

A memorial has been established for the CARE cancer support program and donations may be sent in care of Chamberlain-Pier Funeral Home, PO Box 366, Gordon, NE 69343. 

Online condolences may be left at chamberlainchapel.com

Laveta Louise Edwards was born on Nov 5, 1944, at Gordon General Hospital to Leigh and Belle Dahlgren. She passed away Thursday, July 13 at Monument Health Hospital in Rapid City, SD. 

Known for her welcoming smile, infectious laugh, and joyful spirit, she will be dearly missed.

Laveta was the fourth of 5 children who grew up on a homestead south of Merriman, NE. She and her siblings were born multi-taskers, wearing their clothes in the nearby Niobrara River so they could take their baths and do their laundry at the same time.

Laveta’s childhood was spent mowing hay, hunting jackrabbits, fishing, sleeping in the barnyard with her cousins, and enjoying many other shenanigans. 

She attended Rockford Country School from kindergarten through 8th grade. She and her siblings, Jack and Oleta, would walk the mile and a half to school or Jack would serve as the girls’ personal chauffeur as they hung on to the tractor for dear life.

Laveta attended Merriman High School, where she participated in darn near everything. Known as “Beeter”, she was the starting server and star of the volleyball team and a member of the Pep Club all four years. 

She also dabbled in Chorus, Dramatics, Yearbook and Student Council (serving as President and Secretary-Treasurer). She worked in the superintendent’s office all through high school and attended ALA Girls State her Junior year.

Laveta was crowned Homecoming Queen and graduated Valedictorian of the Class of 1963. Her classmates predicted she would one day become the President of the United States.

After high school, Laveta attended a trade school in Omaha, NE, and landed a job as a telegraph operator in New York City. She formed some lifelong friendships there, and had good times not only in New York, but also traipsing around Europe. 

After having all the fun she could possibly have, Laveta moved back to Merriman to help her dad on his ranch. It wasn’t long, though, before she headed to California to visit those party animals from New York – then decided to move to the Los Angeles area.

In California, Laveta formed even more lifelong friendships and eventually met a handsome troublemaker named Irving Edwards at a picnic. She married him on June 26, 1971 and spent the next 52 years keeping him in line. They were blessed with two daughters: Laveta Belle in 1976 and Helen Lynnet in 1978. 

The family moved to Gordon in 1985, but small town life didn’t slow Laveta down. She did bookkeeping for several businesses, including Irving’s auto repair shop, and opened her own H & R Block franchise, eventually adding locations in Rushville, NE, and Pine Ridge and Martin, SD. 

An avid golfer and bowler, Laveta became involved with the business side of both the Gordon Golf and Country Club and King Pin Lanes as a bookkeeper and league secretary. When each faced the threat of closing down, Laveta swooped in to save them. 

She was also active in the local DAR Chapter and American Legion Auxiliary Unit. After she sold her businesses and retired, she began a life of ease managing King Pin Lanes. It has been said that if it wasn’t for Laveta, Gordon wouldn’t have any recreation.

Laveta’s survivors include her husband Irving; daughters Belle Edwards and Helen (Mike) Bouquet; sister Oleta (Quincy) Skinner; grandchildren Lily Edwards-Nipp and David and Jacob Bouquet; step-sons Christopher (Jean) Edwards and Irving Edwards; step- grandchildren Tarleton Marchant, Matthew (Anne) Edwards, Rozlyn Edwards, and Nicole, Christopher, Tarleton, and Michael Edwards; and step-great-grandchildren Noah, Leo, and Max. 

She was preceded in death by siblings Bernita Safe and Arthur and Jack Dahlgren, and stepson Tarleton Edwards.

Chamberlain-Pier Funeral Home in Gordon is in charge of arrangements for Laveta Edwards