March 4, 1917 – Dec. 5, 2010


LaVerne Lydia Gauerke, 93, of Waukesha, died Sunday, Dec. 5, 2010, at Waunakee Manor Nursing Home in Waunakee. LaVerne was born March 4, 1917, in Lebanon, to William and Ella (Turke) Schramm.

She married Chester Gauerke on Nov. 16, 1935, in Lebanon. They settled for a short time in Watertown before moving to Waukesha in 1943. LaVerne worked for years in a ladies apparel store while raising her four children. She was an accomplished seamstress and enjoyed bowling, dancing and cards as hobbies. A family summer vacation trip to northern Wisconsin with the family was one of LaVerne’s favorite activities. LaVerne and Chester retired to Springstead in 1976, where they lived for 20 years before returning to southern Wisconsin to live in the Nashotah area. After Chester’s death, she moved back to Watertown.

She is survived by a son, Thomas (Barbara) Gauerke of Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich., Judith King of Waunakee and Dawn (Mark) Sredizinski of Oconomowoc; grandchildren, Thomas (Becky) Gauerke of Gilbert, Ariz., Jodi (Shane) Sullivan of Sullivan, Michael Weix of Delafield, Carol (Ray) McCrary of Nashville, Tenn., and Wendy King of Chattanooga, Tenn.; and great-grandchildren, Connor and Nathan Sullivan, Nicholas Weix, and Trey and Drew Gauerke.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Chester; daughter, Gail; granddaughter, Cari Ann Gauerke Klein; son-in-law, Lewis King; brothers, Clarence and Harold; and a sister, Viola Zwieg.

Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral service Wednesday, Dec. 8, at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 1600 Genesse St., Delafield. Burial will be at Glenview Memorial Gardens, Ixonia.

Memorials to Christ the King Lutheran Church or Waunakee Manor Nursing Home are appreciated.

The family especially appreciates the loving care LaVerne received for the last 3 1/2 years by the staff at Waunakee Manor.

Schmidt & Bartelt Notbohm-Kreutzmann Funeral and Cremation Services is serving the family. For more information, call 567 4459 or visit online at www.schmidtandbartelt.com.