To view the funeral service, click here: https://youtu.be/yXauQGMWNDA?si=TTIGk3Sh0hYAZTlC

LaVonne Laneise Erickson, 68, Mohall, passed away Tuesday, March 18, 2025, peacefully in her sleep at the Trinity Kenmare Nursing Home after a short battle with liver cancer.
LaVonne was born December 27, 1956, to Roy and Reta (Tovey) Erickson at the Des Lacs Hospital.  The Erickson's lived in Berthold at the time.  Could you see LaVonne as a Berthold Bomber?  Not!
The family moved to Montana for a year, and then the move to Mohall started her passion as a beloved "Yellowjacket."  LaVonne has an older sister, Ramona, and younger sisters, Barbara and Vicki Mae (Vicki was stillborn in September 1963).  She also had three younger brothers, Roger, and the twins, Kim and Kip.
She attended school in Mohall and graduated from Mohall High School in 1975.  While in school, she decided she wasn't a basketball player but wanted to be a part of the team, so she became the girls' basketball student manager from 8th grade on.  She was involved in Science Club, Letterman's Club, Yellowjacket Journal, the school newspaper (which might have created that love of news), and the Annual Staff.  I think she was the keeper of the old Yellowjacket Journal issues.  She found her passion in softball, not during school months, but during the summer months.  She played many games in the John Brown Girls' Softball League, where she became a successful pitcher in her middle and high school years and beyond.
After graduating from high school, LaVonne worked as an employee for the Renville County Farmer (RCF) in Mohall, except when she took a secretary job for Great Plains Supply for one year.  The RCF came calling again and Emerson's employed her back at the paper.  Emerson's later sold the paper to Gloria Abrahamson and their family.  She got out of the paper business again to help with a daycare in town for two years.  Her connection with the paper didn't stop as the Abrahamson's asked if LaVonne would return as an employee.  She decided this was the job for her as when the Abrahamson's wanted to sell the paper, she thought long and hard on the financials and the work involved in running a paper as the owner.  The bank provided the loan, and LaVonne was off and running, creating her legacy in the community and county.  She became the owner of the Renville County Farmer on September 5, 2001.  She was into her 24 1/2 years as the newspaper's Owner/Publisher/Editor.  She loved coming to work every day and all the visits, conversations, and customers that happened to cross her path at the RCF.
Over the years, LaVonne was active in her beloved community of Mohall.  She was a charter member of the original Yellowjacket Booster Club, which started in 1975.  She loved this organization and would not miss a meeting to support the local youth athletes in their endeavors. She held numerous positions in this organization.  She later transferred her faith in the school and the athletes to the Maverick Booster Club.
She was a 36-year member of the Mohall City Council, always wanting people to look at the rules put into place and follow to the tee.  She kept explicit notes and loved to look back at them throughout the years.  She made it a mission to ensure people saw what was in place and followed those rules.  She was a member of the Mohall Chamber of Commerce.  She donated her time to the Chamber's projects that helped the community.  She was active in the Mohall Area Community Foundation as she believed and saw the difference the foundation made in the community.  She was a charter member of the Mohall Housing Authority where she was a part of the building decisions of the apartments known as the Yellowjacket Apartments and Meadowlark Apartments.  She did the bookwork for those apartment complexes until health issues recently forced her to give this up.
She was a faithful member of the Mohall American Legion Auxiliary.  She took pride in being a member, as it was a committee that she and her mom cherished together.  She was also an active member of the Mohall Jaycees, serving in several different positions.  She also served as the secretary of the Monday Night Bowling League, which she participated in when Mohall had a bowling alley.  Of course, she kept score!
She may not have suited up for the varsity high school basketball team, but she was active in softball for the local girls' and women's slow-pitch teams through her teen and young adult years.  She would be her team's ace pitcher while she played the sport.  Although she informed family and friends that she could hit the ball a long way.  Base running was her weakness.  She never let a ball go past her body and proudly wore the bruises.  Her women's team traveled to Bottineau and Minot Leagues when not playing locally.  Knee injuries forced LaVonne to retire from the sport.  She cherished every memory and built lifelong friendships with her teammates.  Her love of softball got her involved in coaching the sport at the local level, and her teams won numerous local and state places in the tournaments they participated in.
LaVonne's love of sports continued to the school sports even after graduating.  Since she kept the scorebook for the high school team while in school, the girls' coaches asked her to keep a book for home games after graduation, a position she held until 4 years ago when she unofficially retired.  She also started keeping the home book for boys' home games in the 1980s and retired from that until last year when they needed a bookkeeper for the district and region tournaments.  She realized she missed the interaction with the table staff and the atmosphere.  She traveled to many games and kept a book for those games as the team's official scorer as well.  Many would say her bookkeeping skills were immaculate detail as she had a technique of changing colored pens for each quarter.  She spent many miles watching the local athletes perform, which was her passion.  She was a cheerleader to all.  State, Regional, and District tournament time was a special time for her, and when Mohall or M-L-S achieved a state tournament berth, she was there with her support and bookkeeping skills.  Also, she was the home announcer for many home basketball games.  When volleyball was introduced into our school, she was also asked to score and announce for them.  She would also fill in as a clock keeper and ticket taker when asked.
Her organization's bookkeeping didn't go unnoticed. She would also be found in the crow's nest on the track field.  She also helped score and record at local track meets for Mr. Mike Grandall, Mr. Richard Wardner, and Mr. Armstrong.  My educated guess is they liked her dedication and dependability when giving her the jobs.  They had her involvement at the regional and state levels in which she scored for the State Class B Track and Field.
LaVonne quickly recognized family and loved family gatherings at the family cabin at the Mouse River Park.  She deeply loved her many cousins, nieces, and nephews and always had their birthday greetings in Vern's Views in the RCF.  She quickly gave her local nieces and nephews rides to school or picked them up after school.  She was on the bus to the game if they wanted to go to a game.  She would have supported them if they were playing in a game.  If they wanted an ice cream cone or snack, LaVonne also had the craving.  She was their biggest cheerleader in life as she always listened and gave her input and advice.  There was nothing she wouldn't do for them, whether they lived close or just visiting.  Family meant the world to LaVonne; she showed them her passionate, loving heart.  In her later years, she played a role in the lives of her great-niece and nephews (Johnson Kids).  She was always there for them in some way or another and loved attending all their events.
LaVonne treated the Brackenbury family like they were her own family as well.  She was gifted with being a Godmother to the Brackenbury youngest "Calli" and that girl was instantly spoiled. She took great honor and devotion in being a Godmother and spoiling the other two with a little fireworks money on the 4th of July, treats, and never forgetting a birthday or holiday.  She greatly supported their athletics and traveled with Clarissa and the kids to many games.  Do you think there might have been some behind-the-scenes coaching on those rides back home?
She also hosted a foreign exchange student (Botette Niebe, a student from Denmark) for a year. They hit it off so well that when she returned to Denmark, LaVonne, with Kathryn Erickson, made a trip to visit her.  Can you imagine LaVonne's reaction when the plane took off and landed?
When LaVonne found time to relax.  She enjoyed going for drives and making laps around Mohall in her van; she always had a seat open for a passenger to tag along.  She enjoyed getting cozy in her recliner and watching sporting events, Designated Survivor, Hallmark's, or recorded soap operas, and taking in the fresh air at Mouse River Park during the summer.  In her early years, she loved to go on trips with her family or see family.  She would document every step of the way through journaling or with pictures.
LaVonne has been recognized by numerous organizations for her dedication to the community. She was most proud of the recognition she received from the Yellowjacket and Maverick Booster Clubs for her commitment to the school and its projects.  Just recently, at the last Mohall All School Reunion, she was recognized for being a dedicated Yellowjacket all those years.  Mohall's gain was Berthold's loss.
LaVonne was never married, but as you can see, every child she had a connection to was like her own.  Every athlete, band member, playwright, speech performer, cheerleader, etc., had her support all through their school careers and a friend who would remember them in later years. She was a walking history book and remembered it all.
Family: She is survived by sisters, Ramona Schultz, Savage, MN, and Barbara "Barb" Johnson, Lorraine; brothers, Roger Erickson, Mohall, and Kip Erickson, Washburn; numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews; family friends Wayne, Clarissa, Shania (Spencer) Olson, Connor and Calli Brackenbury, Mohall.
LaVonne was preceded in death by: her parents, Roy and Reta (Tovey) Erickson; sister, Vickie Mae; Brother, Kim Erickson; sister-in-law, Kathryn Erickson; brother-in-law, Alan Johnson; and nephew:  Joshua Johnson.
Funeral: 10:00 am, Saturday, March 29, 2025, at Zion Lutheran Church, Mohall.
Burial: Mohall Community Cemetery, Mohall.
Sharing of Memories Service (Open to the public): 7:00 p.m., Friday, March 28, 2025, at the church.
Visitation: 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Friday, at Zion Lutheran Church, Mohall.  Friends may also sign the online guestbook at brosefuneralhome.com.
(Brose Funeral Home, Mohall)