LaVera Droege, 82, of Glencoe
LaVera Droege, 82, of Glencoe, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 21, at Abbott Northwestern Hospital.
A funeral service was held Monday, Nov. 26, 11 a.m., at Johnson-McBride Funeral Chapel in Glencoe with interment in the Glencoe City Cemetery.
Pastor Jon Niebuhr was the officiating clergy.
Pastor Niebuhr led special music, “In The Garden,” “Little Brown Church,” “On Eagle’s Wings.”
LaVera’s granddaughters were honorary casket-bearers. Her grandsons were the casket-bearers.
LaVera Lee Droege was born Aug. 4, 1936, in Portland, Ore. She was the daughter of Thomas and Gladys (Hamilton) Salmon. LaVera was baptized as an infant and was later confirmed in her faith at Peace Lutheran Church in Hutchinson. She received her education in Hutchinson and was a graduate of the Hutchinson High School Class of 1955.
July 2, 1955, Rev. E.H. Spaude united LaVera in marriage to Stanley Droege at Peace Lutheran Church in Hutchinson. After their marriage, the couple resided in Hutchinson, Dassel, Darwin, Alexandria and Glencoe. Their marriage of 58 years was blessed with loving children, Lynn, Michael, Teal, Cathy, Lori and Thomas.
She and Stanley were charter members of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Hutchinson, members of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church in Ellsworth Township and she was a current member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Glencoe.
As a youth, Mrs. Droege enjoyed roller-skating and marched in the Rose Festival Parade in Portland. She also enjoyed fishing, swimming, sewing, collecting recipes and all animals. After raising her family, she worked for a time in a local deli and thoroughly enjoyed interacting with the customers and trying out new recipes that she made for the deli. Most importantly, Mrs. Droege cherished the time she spent with her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Droege passed away at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis Wednesday, Nov. 21, at the age of 82 years, 3 months, and 17 days. Blessed be her memory.
Mrs. Droege is survived by her children, Lynn Riebe of Litchfield, Michael Droege and his wife, August of Livermore, Calif., Teal Johnson and her husband, David of Chaska, Cathy Nelson and her husband, Duane, of Wyoming, Lori Peterson and her husband, Kevin, of Glencoe, and Thomas Droege and his wife, Pamela, of Apple Valley; grandchildren, Jennifer Toepper and her husband, Doug, Tim Nelson, Scott Nelson and Laura Rodriquez, Michael Nelson and Melissa Miller, Kyle Peterson and Laurissa Flannery, Leah Peterson, Daniel Droege and his wife, Jessica, Matthew Droege, Blake Droege, Ben Droege, Peter Johnson, Tony Johnson and his wife, Drew, Paul Johnson, Britany Smith and her husband, Tyler, Jamie Holzer and her husband, Jon, Jackie Peterson-Riebe, Danielle VanderPloeg and her husband, Craig; great-grandchildren, Mackenzie and Jacob Nelson, Cooper and Adyson Toepper, Bryant, Bailee, Quinton and Maci Peterson, Joshua and Lilly Holzer, Chayton, Prestin, Teyah, Farrah Peterson-Riebe, Mekai and Jazlyn VanderPloeg; sister, Patricia Goebel of Seattle, Wash.; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Mrs. Droege was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas and Gladys Salmon; husband, Stanley Droege; brother, Frank (Lisa) Salmon; brother-in-law, Robert Goebel.
The Johnson-McBride Funeral Chapel in Glencoe handled the arrangements. The Web site is www.mcbridechapel.com and obituaries and a guest book is available online.
