Lavanda Richert

Lavanda Richert, age 94, of Decorah, IA, died on Thursday, March 23, 2017, at the Ossian Senior Hospice, in Ossian, IA. A private family funeral service will be held at the Schluter-Balik Funeral Home in Decorah. Lavanda May (Thompson) Richert was born June 2, 1922, in Clermont, IA, the daughter of Henry and Anna (Lubke) Thompson. She grew up in the areas of Clermont, Gunder, and Frankville. Lavanda worked for the family of Doctor Edward and Mae Hagen prior to her marriage to Harold Richert on June 2, 1950 at the Frankville Presbyterian Church. Harold and Lavanda spent their married life on a farm near Hesper, IA, and were members of St. John's Lutheran Church, Locust Iowa. After Harold's passing in June of 1992, Lavanda lived in Decorah until moving to the Ossian Senior Hospice in October 2015. She loved taking care of her family, growing and arranging flowers, cooking, baking, and making pies, and she proved to be wonderfully talented in painting landscape scenery in oil paints. Lavanda loved to laugh and was a truly kind, generous person. Lavanda is survived by her son: Philip (Joyce) Richert, rural Hesper. Two daughters: Clarian (Michael) Wilder, Calmar, IA, and Linda (Randy) Jennings, Decorah, IA. Five grandchildren: Lori (Will) Hageman, Angela (Chad) Kaiser, Nicholas (Sara) Richert, Collin and Wesley Richert. Six great-grandchildren: Kyle, Allison, and Annie Hageman; Austin and Aiden Helgerson, and Willow Kaiser. One sister: Clarian (Dean) Gunderson along with six nieces and nephews. Lavanda was preceded in death by her husband Harold. Parents: Henry and Anna (Lubke) Thompson. Father and mother in law: Jake and Josephine (Matter) Richert. Sister and brother: Frances and Harley. Sister-in-law: Ellen Thompson. Great-grandson: Andrew Helgerson.