LaVerne, 88, died peacefully at her home in Largo, FL on Sat., Feb. 16 after a long struggle with cancer. She was surrounded by family. Laverne was born in Chicago, IL on October 4, 1930. She was adopted by Dr. Vernon Leech and his first wife, Helena Van Alstyne. Dr. Leech married Miriam Green in 1938, and they raised LaVerne. Goldie Allen Proctor, LaVerne’s birth mother, reconnected with her in 1996 and they remained in touch until Goldie’s death in 2005.
She attended public schools in Evanston, IL and received a B.A. degree from Western College, Oxford, OH. She earned a Master of Education degree from National College of Education in Evanston, IL after which she taught kindergarten for two years in Park Ridge, IL. Parents of her students introduced her to James Ellis Phillips, a widower with three children. They were married July 30, 1955. Jim died in 2009.
LaVerne was a “stay-at-home” mom, active in several organizations – Presbyterian Church, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts and National Conference of Christians and Jews. In the late 1960s, she and Jim focused their volunteer work on the Institute of Cultural Affairs, the global organization concerned with the human factor in world development. For fourteen years, they traveled the world, teaching seminars, and participating in community reformulation consults.
They became permanent residents of Florida in 1985 where LaVerne became involved with the “arts scene.” She was a member of Studio 1212 (an artists’ cooperative), a signature member of the Florida Watercolor Society as of 2005, and the International Society of Acrylic Painters. An award-winning artist, her paintings are in many private collections. LaVerne has said, “Making art is a lot like everyday life. One takes what one is given and makes something of it. The important part is the creating. Sometimes the magic works, and sometimes it doesn’t. The joy is in the ‘becoming.’ I love making art! It nourishes my soul and releases endorphins of well-being.”
She is survived by her four children - Jane (Bill), Jeff (Lois), Nancy (Tom), and Scott (Monica), seven grandchildren – Jon (Ellen), Brad (Christy), Andy (Linda), Adam, Margaret, Charlie and Tony, and eight great grandchildren – Henry, Cora, Michael, Simon, Sam, Elaina, Isla and Mark.
A memorial service celebrating LaVerne’s life (and according to her wishes) will be held at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 17 at Studio 1212, 1405 Cleveland St., Clearwater, FL 33755. A later celebration will take place at Paw Paw Lake, Watervliet, MI, on July 2 at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of LaVerne can be made to Suncoast Hospice, 5771 Roosevelt Blvd., Clearwater, FL 33760 or to Studio 1212.
