Lois LaVerna LaVerna Linafelter Snell

A funeral will be held at 10 AM on Friday, April 9, 2010 at Pleasant Home Community Church. Visitation will be from 12 PM to 5 PM on Wednesday, April 7 and 9 AM to 5 PM on Thursday, April 8 at Bateman Carroll Funeral Home.

LaVerna was born to Harvey and Mable (Hirsch) Linafelter in their home in Wareham, Nebraska on October 5th, 1926. Her family lived in several small towns in Nebraska where she received her early education. In 1941 LaVerna traveled west with her parents and older sister, Lorraine to Troutdale, OR, where the family lived in a berry cabin for two years while they picked berries and fruit and worked in the fields.

LaVerna attended Gresham High School for two years then quit during World War II, to work at the Oregon shipyards in St. Johns, OR where she was a ship welder. After the War, LaVerna worked for 1st National Bank, Federal Reserve Bank and Common Wealth Insurance in Portland, OR. On April 4, 1947 she married Lloyd Snell of Gresham. They lived in Portland, OR where LaVerna continued to work for various banks and Lloyd was a truck driver. In the 1950’s they moved north to Anchorage, Alaska where they lived for one year. They returned to Portland in 1951.

In 1959 the Snells purchased a 20 acre farm in Boring, OR, where they raised cattle and raspberries. LaVerna worked for Cottrell Grade School for 20 years. While raising her children she was involved in their school activities. She was a Girl Scout Leader, Boy School Leader, and room mother for all of her children. She was also an involved member of Pleasant Home Community Church where she served in several capacities. Her hobbies included quilting and growing flowers. Some accomplishments she is most proud of are obtaining her GED after having seven children, reigning Queen of the Sandy Mountain Days Festival in 2004 at the age of 78, and most of all raising her seven children.

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and sister. She is survived by her daughter, Louise and her husband Gary Maples of Olympia, WA; son, Ross and his wife Julie Snell of Boring, OR; daughter, Gayle and her husband John Alexander of Boring, OR; daughter, Joyce and her husband Ron Edwards of Baker City, OR; daughter, Lois and her husband Rob Allen of Zig Zag, OR; son, Ray Snell of Boring, OR; son, Ron and his wife Moniece Snell of Vancouver, WA; 16 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews and a host of friends who loved her dearly and will greatly miss her.

Contributions can be made in her name to Pleasant Home Community Church (32120 SE Dodge Park Blvd, Gresham OR 97080) or to Mt. Hood Hospice.

Arrangements under the direction of Bateman Carroll Funeral Home, Gresham, OR.