Jan. 21, 1934 - Oct. 20, 2024
Obituary in her own words (family edits).
LaVerne Margaret Zenner was born Jan. 21, 1934, in Buckman, to Alois and Regina (Hurrle) Zenner. She started first grade in a one room schoolhouse in Buckman. She later started second grade at St. Michael’s School in Buckman. In the third grade, the family quit farming and moved to St. Cloud. There, she attended St. Mary’s Grade School and Cathedral High School, followed by nursing school in Rochester. LaVerne worked for 25 years at the St. Cloud Hospital. She married Jim Justin at St. Mary’s Church in St. Cloud. They cherished their five children — Joel, Patrick, Mike, Joleen and Jimmy Justin Jr.
She watched all the games that Joel, Patrick, Mike and Jimmy played, as they actively played football, hockey, basketball and baseball and wrestled. She also watched all the games Joleen actively played, softball and basketball. Joel, Patrick Mike, Joleen and Jimmy also played in the marching band at Cathedral High School and participated in all the travels of the band. In the second grade, Patrick played a part in “Music Man” in the Cathedral High School play. This was special.
After retiring from the St. Cloud Hospital (first assignment was the polio ward), LaVerne became a Foster Grandparent working for over 25 years at KidStop in Sauk Rapids at Pleasantview grade school (over 30,000 hours).
She is preceded in death by her parents, Regina and Alois; her brothers, Wilfred ‘Bill’ and wife Rose, and Lambert ‘Larry’; her sister, Doreen Jacobson and husband John; and former husband, James ‘Jim.’
She is survived by her five children, Joel and Karin (Bute), Patrick and Pamela Kennedy, Mike and Judy (Wambui Ford), Joleen and Bruce Slinden, and Jimmy Jr.; and her sister-in-law, Virgie Zenner; plus her nine grandkids and six great-grandchildren and thousands of KidStop kids, whose lives she deeply touched.
Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 a.m. Friday, Nov. 8, at St. Mary’s Cathedral upper church. The Rev. Scott Pogatchnik will officiate. Visitation will begin after 9:30 a.m. Friday at the church and a luncheon will follow the Mass. A private family burial will take place at Assumption Cemetery in St. Cloud.
R-44-1B
