Hettie Lavonne Nelson

Born Hettie LaVonne Nelson to Abraham Lincoln McClaflin and Addie Gertrude Ricks on March 29, 1934, in Jefferson, Oklahoma. She was the youngest of nine children, having two brothers and six sisters - Oh the stories she would tell you of her and her siblings growing up. When she was just 4 1/2 months old, her father passed away and her mother sold the family farm and moved the family to Pond Creek, Oklahoma. LaVonne attended Pond Creek High School where she was a highly involved student. She played the trombone in the school band, sang in the school choir and in the Methodist Church choir, was a drum majorette, and acted in school plays and performances. She was a member of the Glee and Pep Clubs as well as a member of the Drama Guild. She was a class reporter and worked for the school newspaper. She even played on the High School Girls basketball team in her Freshman, Sophomore, and Senior years, which in that time, it was almost unheard of for there to be any girl sports in high school. LaVonne also showed academic excellence as she made the Honor Roll in all four years of High School. She graduated in May of 1952 as the Senior Class Salutatorian and Senior Class Queen.

While working as a secretary for Boeing in Wichita, Kansas, she was introduced to James D Bradford Nelson. After just a short time of dating, they were married on December 23, 1952, in Pond Creek, Oklahoma. LaVonne and Jim had four children, two girls and two boys. They traveled the country while her husband was enlisted in the Navy and settled in Missouri. While raising their children, LaVonne worked a different array of jobs; working in a laundry, selling ads for the local Cameron and Liberty newspapers, and did some modeling of clothing for JCPenney. She continued her passion of singing in her church choir and singing and acting in community theater. She was a long-standing member of the Church of Christ and loved her church dearly.

LaVonne and her husband traveled the country in the 70's and 80's with a group of church friends singing for weddings and funerals. LaVonne used to tell family that the day she can no longer sing is the day her life would be over, but she always had a flair for the dramatics. LaVonne loved crafting, sewing, and quilting. Her and her husband would travel the country going to craft shows selling all the items she made. LaVonne and Jim divorced in 1995 after being married for 43 years.

She enjoyed doing puzzles, Sudoku, playing cards, and playing dominoes. She and her friends and ladies from church had a long standing, weekly game night playing cards or dominoes at her house or one of their homes. The stories told and the laughs that you would hear during those nights were spectacular and infectious if you were lucky enough to be able to attend.

LaVonne was a bright light in a dark world. Always wearing the brightest of colors, the craziest of patterns, and had the most elaborate jewelry. She was kind, loving, giving, and had a great sense of humor, and a completely perfect eccentric person. She also gave the best hugs around and would always give them out...always. She also made the BEST Pecan Crisps cookies and orange fluff salad!

She is preceded in death by her father and mother; infant daughter, Kelly Marie, two brothers, six sisters, and numerous nieces and nephews.

She is survived by her daughter, Marette Hopkins (Craig); her sons, Kent Nelson (Shannon) and Kirk Nelson (Bruce). Her granddaughter, Nicole Freeze (Mike) and grandson, Shaun Crockett (Janelle), great-granddaughters Lexi DeVries (Dylan), Emma Crockett, Annie Freeze (Brayden), Bailey Gage (Zakk), Addie Crockett, great-grandsons Hunter, Sheldon, and Carter Rader, and 3 great-great grandchildren Grayson & Hudson Worell, and McKinley Gage.

LaVonne did not want a funeral or service, she wanted a PARTY!

A celebration of Life will held for all those wanting to celebrate LaVonne's life at Newcomer's White Chapel Funeral Home, located at 6600 NE Antioch Road, Gladstone, Missouri, 64119, on Saturday, September 12, 2026 from 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm. Refreshments provided by family.

She spoke often in her last months about how she wanted to go home to Oklahoma and was ready for her eternal home. Her ashes are being scattered in Manchester, Oklahoma where her parents and many relatives are buried at a date to be determined later along with her dearly cherished departed Bichons dogs, Razzy Jazzy Kay and Jack.

LaVonne was a beautiful soul, inside and out, and she will be greatly missed by all that were blessed to know her.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to The Gaslight Theater, a community theater in Enid, Oklahoma, in her honor. Lavonne acted and sang in many performances at The Gaslight Theater in the late 90's and early 2000's.

Donations can be made online at www.gaslighttheatre.org.