Viola M. Laaveg

Viola M. Laaveg, 85, of 361 S. Pennsylvania Avenue formerly of Belmond, died suddenly Friday (August 6, 2004) at home. Funeral services will be held 10:30 AM Tuesday at Trinity Lutheran Church, 304 3rd Avenue NE, Belmond with Rev. Rod Hopp officiating. Interment will be in Belmond Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 PM Monday at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, Mason City and continue at the church Tuesday one hour before the service. Memorials may be directed to Hospice of North Iowa or Radio Bible Class Ministries. Viola was born to Olaf and Lena Larson on the family Happy Home Farm near Park River, North Dakota on December 13, 1918. She was baptized and confirmed in the Christian faith at Zion Lutheran in rural Hoople, ND. She was raised on the North Dakota prairie and graduated from Walsh County Agriculture and Training High School in 1935. She attended business school and worked as a secretary. She also attended the Moody Evangelical Bible School in Chicago. Viola married Oscar Laaveg September 11, 1943. After his ordination, she was a Lutheran Pastor?s wife and homemaker until retiring to Belmond in 1982. They served parishes in Kindred, ND, Canton, SD, Rapid City, SD, Helmar, IL, Camrose, Alberta Canada, Belmond, Cylinder and Fertile, Iowa. She has lived in Mason City the last five years. Viola loved growing flowers, music, poetry, reading, cooking, sewing and being a mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was active in her church, Christian prayer groups and loved her family interaction. She had a deeply held Christian faith. Left to cherish her memory are sons, Dr. Sterling Laaveg and wife Rita (Dorr) of Mason City, Paul Laaveg and wife Nancy (Coffman) of Purcellville, VA, Joel Laaveg and wife Gina (Sundry) of Clear Lake, Pastor Lee Laaveg and wife Denise (Helland) of Forest City; grandchildren, Aaron, Nicole Lozier and husband John, Lisa Berg and husband Jeff, Jacob, Philip, Dan, Jessica, Andrea Miner and husband Seth, Heather and Luke; great grand-son, Robert Berg; sister, Pearl Loftsgard and husband Eugene of Park River, ND. She was preceded in death by her husband, Oscar; parents; brothers, Ernest, Norman and Harry; sister, Myrtle Berg.

Visitation:
5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Major Erickson Funeral Home on August 9, 2004 (map/driving directions) 5:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Major Erickson Funeral Home on August 8, 2004 (map/driving directions)

Service:
10:30 AM at Trinity Lutheran Church on August 10, 2004 (map/driving directions)