Leo & Lavonne Bargenquast
d. May 29, 1945
Lavonne and Leo Bargenquast met in the late 1930s when they were both going to school in Kirkman, Iowa. Years later while Leo was on leave from the Navy, they met again at Paxton drug store in Harlan, Iowa while they were both waiting for the same bus to go to Omaha. They sat together on the bus going to Omaha and two weeks later, Leo sent a letter to LaVonne asking her to marry him. They were united into marriage at the Algiers Naval Station in New Orleans by the Navy Chaplain and in the presence of over 200 sailors on May 29, 1945. To this union five children were born: Dennis (who was deceased in infancy), Cheryl, Gary, Connie and Linda.
After Leo was discharged from the Navy in October 1945, they moved to Kirkman, Iowa and then to Irwin, Iowa while Leo was working for Purina Feed Store in Irwin. In 1953, they relocated to a farm outside of Avoca, Iowa. In 1969 they moved in town to Avoca and have lived there ever since. The Bargenquasts were members of the congregation at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Avoca. On 29 May 2020 Leo and LaVonne celebrated their 75th Wedding Anniversary together.
Lavonne passed away on Tuesday, August 11, 2020, at Myrtue Medical Center while on comfort care having attained the age of ninety-four years, nine months and eighteen days. Leo passed away on Wednesday, 12 July 2023, at home while on comfort care having attained the age of ninety-eight years, 5 months and 12 days. They were preceded in death by her parents; his parents; son Dennis; daughter Connie; son-in-law Richard Crawley and Lavonne’s brothers Robert and Ronald Comstock; Leo’s brothers Otto, Elmer, Frank, Roy and Fritz; Leo’s sisters Leona, Viola, Ruby and Margret.
Left to cherish their memories together are their children Cheryl (Lyle Jr.) Hamrick of LaVista, Nebraska; Gary (Ruangkaew) Bargenquast of Chiang Rai, Thailand; Linda (Rob) VanWey of Liverpool, New York; 11 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews, other family and many, many friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to Trinity Lutheran Church in Avoca, Iowa.
After Leo was discharged from the Navy in October 1945, they moved to Kirkman, Iowa and then to Irwin, Iowa while Leo was working for Purina Feed Store in Irwin. In 1953, they relocated to a farm outside of Avoca, Iowa. In 1969 they moved in town to Avoca and have lived there ever since. The Bargenquasts were members of the congregation at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Avoca. On 29 May 2020 Leo and LaVonne celebrated their 75th Wedding Anniversary together.
Lavonne passed away on Tuesday, August 11, 2020, at Myrtue Medical Center while on comfort care having attained the age of ninety-four years, nine months and eighteen days. Leo passed away on Wednesday, 12 July 2023, at home while on comfort care having attained the age of ninety-eight years, 5 months and 12 days. They were preceded in death by her parents; his parents; son Dennis; daughter Connie; son-in-law Richard Crawley and Lavonne’s brothers Robert and Ronald Comstock; Leo’s brothers Otto, Elmer, Frank, Roy and Fritz; Leo’s sisters Leona, Viola, Ruby and Margret.
Left to cherish their memories together are their children Cheryl (Lyle Jr.) Hamrick of LaVista, Nebraska; Gary (Ruangkaew) Bargenquast of Chiang Rai, Thailand; Linda (Rob) VanWey of Liverpool, New York; 11 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; nieces and nephews, other family and many, many friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be sent to Trinity Lutheran Church in Avoca, Iowa.
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