Laverl Engla Matson Obituary (1920

LaVerl Engala Fehling MATSON May 2, 1920 a" October 31, 2006 LaVerl passed away peacefully on Halloween at Stafford Healthcare Center, Des Moines, WA, 86 years after being born on the family farm in Alma, WI, to Sedona and Joseph Buchmiller. She attended a one-room schoolhouse and went on to graduate from the College of St. Theresa in 1942, the first in her family, with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition. Her dietetic traineeship took her to Indianapolis, IN. In 1953, LaVerl married the love of her life, David Fehling, and moved from Fresno, CA with him and two Siamese cats, to the territory of Alaska. In 1956, she became the first President of the Alaska Dietetic Association, doing a series of television segments on diet, and was a panelist on a radio show on diet. In 1957, her only child, Lisa, was born in the city of Anchorage. After four long Alaskan winters, meteorologist David earned the transfer of their choice and in 1959, kit and caboodle emigrated to Des Moines, WA, making it their happy home for more than 40 years. LaVerl continued to work part time as a clinical dietitian and spent more than 25 years at Valley General Hospital in Renton. She was an active member of St. Philomena Parish in Des Moines, and was a champion of many political and social causes supporting pro-life and issues affecting the poor. She and David loved to travel and visited Europe, Scandinavia, Australia, and the Holy Land. Clever and feisty, LaVerl held a firm belief in her right to express herself. As a high school valedictorian herself, she set exacting academic and moral standards for herself and her family. LaVerl was bright, critical, and often outspoken on issues close to her heart, many of them political, and made her voice heard in writing and by demonstrating on the steps of our state capital as an advocate for the Right to Life movement. Her life was painted in the stark colors of right and wrong, but she was absolutely consistent in her beliefs, though equally delightful and difficult at all times. Going full blast until 2004, a serious stroke finally brought her to the mat and curtailed her active life. A diminutive titan, LaVerl's towering spirit will be sorely missed by all. The family wishes to express sincere thanks to Stafford Healthcare and it's skilled and compassionate staff during her past year of residence and to Group Health Nursing Home and Hospice staff for making her comfortable in her last months. David preceded LaVerl in death in 1995. LaVerl married Norman A. Matson in 2000, and he survives her today. Remaining family includes daughter, Lisa Wadsack, and husband Kurt and LaVerl's only grandchildren, Kollin and Brett; and sister LaVonne Meyers and her four daughters. Please join us for a viewing and rosary on Thursday, November 9, 7:00PM at Howden-Kennedy Funeral Home of West Seattle, 3909 SW Alaska. Funeral services and reception on Friday, November 10, 11:00AM at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 7000 a" 35th Ave. SW, Seattle. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in her honor to Our Lady of Guadalupe School, 3401 SW Myrtle, Seattle, WA 98126 or to John F. Kennedy Memorial High School, 140 South 140th Street, Burien, WA 98168.