LaVerne Kmen Balyeat

LaVerne Kmen Balyeat died on November 13th, 2023, in Murrieta, California surrounded by her family. Born in Chicago, IL on January 18th, 1926, as the only daughter and oldest child, LaVerne grew up close to her large extended family near Cicero, IL. LaVerne's youth was full of turbulent experiences; her earliest memories were of life during the Great Depression, and she came of age during the Second World War. Her proudest accomplishment was being a mother to her daughter Karen. She worked many odd jobs to support her family over the years, but LaVerne found her true calling when the family eventually relocated to California. A devoted member of her church, and talented with numbers, LaVerne was asked to help cover the 8th grade math class at Holy Family Catholic School in Orange, CA until they could find a permanent teacher. Initially hesitant to cover the class for the few weeks the administrators promised, Mrs. Balyeat wound up teaching math at Holy Family for over twenty years. When she and her husband retired, they moved to the small town of Sun City to be closer to family, and they were very involved in the community. LaVerne continued her service to the church, eventually leading as the director of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine program for ten years at her new parish, St. Vincent Ferrer church. LaVerne loved cooking, baking, and traveling with her husband Elmer. Due to his fear of flying, they drove all over the United States in a van, relishing the opportunity to visit family in other parts of the country, as well as enjoying the occasional cruise. In her later years, LaVerne enjoyed being a grandmother, and eventually a great grandmother (or Bubby), and she was devoted to her family.

LaVerne was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Rose Kmen, her brother Chuck Kmen, her husband Elmer Balyeat, her daughter Karen Hannem, and her grandsons Charlie Hannem and Kelly Balyeat. She is survived by her children Tom Balyeat and Dennis Myers, niece Kimberly Gerdzunas, grandchildren Rebecca Cruz, Wesley Hannem, Timm Hannem, Jeff Balyeat, Josh Balyeat, Casey Balyeat, Robin Wise, and Dawn Myers, great grandchildren Brendan Young, Luke, Elliott, McKenna, and Benjamin Hannem, Quinn and Jonah Cruz, Alex Dorrier, and Jonathan Wise, as well as her cherished cousins, including Cheryl Spiller, Norine Mullen, Jim Krecek, Susan Rex, Joyce Zitny, and Ron Bortz, and many close friends.

A funeral mass will be held at St. Vincent Ferrer Church in Sun City, CA on Monday, December 18th, 2023, at 12 p.m. P.S.T., with burial service to follow at Riverside National Cemetery at 2 p.m. P.S.T.