LaVonne Pownell, age 79, of rural Hitchcock, died Monday, September 1, 2008, at Avera St. Lukes Hospital in Aberdeen.
Her funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, September 5, at the United Methodist Church in Hitchcock with burial at Altoona Cemetery, rural Hitchcock.
Visitation will be Thursday from 1-8 p.m. at the Welter Funeral Home with the family present from 6-8 and a Prayer Service at 7 p.m.; or Friday morning one hour prior to the service at the church.
LaVonne Pownell was born LaVonne Oechsle on October 2, 1928, to LeRoy and Hazel (Payne) Oechsle at Aberdeen, SD. She attended and graduated from Redfield High School.
On August 4, 1959, LaVonne married Allen Pownell in Minnesota. After their marriage they lived in Sioux Falls and Hitchcock before moving to Milan, IL. She worked at Jaydons until 1994 when she retired, and filled in at the golf course. LaVonne moved back to Hitchcock in the fall of 1996 where she has lived since that time.
She was a member of the Hitchcock United Methodist Church and Hitchcock Senior Center.
Survivors include her husband Allen of 49 years, her step-son, Mark and step-daughter, Victoria both of Alabama; 7 step grandchildren; 7 step great grandchildren; 5 sisters, Margie Lips of Hitchcock, Gladys (Virgil) Swope of Redfield, Mona (Jerome) Kleinsasser of Hitchcock, Verna Rodman of Huron and Sharolyn (Don) Johnson of Cache, OK; 2 brothers, Don Oechsle of Fairmont, MN and Dale (Margaret) Oechsle of Hitchcock; 2 brothers-in-law, Verlyn (Kay) Eschen of Hillrose, CO and James (Ada) Pownell of Huron; 2 sisters-in-law, Mabel McDaniel of Huron, and Velma Pownell; 1 uncle, Merrill Payne of Frederick, SD; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, 3 brothers, Galen, LeRoy and Richard, 1 sister, Doris Eschen, 3 sisters-in-law, Lela Seeley, Doris Pownell, and Sharon Oechsle; and 6 brothers-in-law, Blair Rodman, Max Lips, Homer McDaniel, Don Seeley, Clinton Pownell and Harold Pownell.