LaVerne Anderson Redwine

LaVerne Anderson Redwine Mrs. LaVerne A. Redwine passed away on September 5, 2006, after a lengthy illness, at the age of 84. She was born in Benton, Illinois on July 24, 1922 to Jesse Anderson & Rebecca Ann Boggus Anderson. Mrs. Redwine was a 1940 graduate of San Angelo High School, after which she studied social work and early childhood development at Catholic University in Washington, DC, and at St Edward’s University in Austin, Texas. For more than forty years, LaVerne A. Redwine has been a tireless, effective advocate for children. Mrs. Redwine began her advocacy career during World War II as an American Red Cross volunteer. In 1959, she was named to the board of directors of St Peter and St Joseph’s Orphanage in San Antonio. That was followed with service on the board of trustees of Holy Child School for the Handicapped in Norman, Oklahoma, and as vice regent and regent of the Catholic Daughters of America. In 1976, Mrs. Redwine became a member of the Bell County Child Welfare Board, charged with coordinating local, state, and federal services for children and their families with the Texas Department of Human Resources. Mrs. Redwine then served as a member of the TDHS Region 6 Child Welfare Board, which served a thirty county area in Central Texas. Mrs. Redwine was a founding member of the Texas Council of Child Welfare Boards in 1978 and published its “Texas Children” newsletter. From 1978 through 1983, she was also a volunteer with the TDHS child abuse hotline. In 1981, Mrs. Redwine founded the Peggy Seale Foundation (now known as the Foundation for Texas Children) to serve child welfare needs. She served as chairperson for the Foundation’s board of trustees and as its chief executive officer. Mrs. Redwine’s numerous activities in child welfare issues made her a frequent and eloquent presence in the State Capitol at Austin. From 1976 to 1989, she was a witness, researcher, and volunteer staff assistant for the Texas House Select Committee on Child Abuse, Neglect, and Pornography. She was also a member of the Interagency Collaboration Project’s School Drop-Out Prevention Task Force, sponsored by the Texas Department of Community Affairs and funded by the U.S. Department of Health, Education & Welfare. She also served as a member of the Texas Supreme Court Task Force on Child Support and Visitation for several years. Mrs. Redwine was honored in 1979 by the Texas Council of Child Welfare Boards as an “Advocate for Children,” and in 1987 by the Texas House of Representatives for her support of the work of the Committee on Child Abuse. Mrs. Redwine was a delegate to the 13th International Congress for Children and Families in Torino, Italy, in 1990 and to the UNICEF-sponsored Justice for Children Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1992. She also served on the planning committee for the 15th International Congress for Children and Families. LaVerne is survived by her spouse of more than 60 years: Lt Col. L.J. Redwine, U.S. Air Force (Retired); Their three children: L.J. Redwine II, Denver, Colorado; Dixie Gay Redwine, New Braunfels, Texas; Loretta Redwine Robertson, Austin, Texas; as well as three grandchildren: Mary Teresa Redwine, Denver, Colorado; Patrick Sean Redwine, San Marcos, Texas; Rebecca Jeanne Redwine Robertson, Austin, Texas, and great-grandson Zephren Zachary Redwine. A Memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 9, 2006 at Weed-Corley-Fish Chapel. A Funeral Mass to be determined at a later date at the Oblate Missions in San Antonio. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Laverne Redwine’s name to the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges or to The Foundation for Texas Children. Obituary and guestbook online at wcfish.com