LaVerne Barnhardt

LaVerne Mavis Barnhardt, 88, of Rapid City and formerly of Waubay, died Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at Rapid City Regional Hospital. Her funeral will be at 10:00 A.M. Monday, June 10, 2013 at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Waubay, Rev. Jeffrey Kalb officiating. Burial will be in the Lakewood Cemetery. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Sunday 5-7 P.M. and prior to services on Monday. She was born November 17, 1924 to Emil and Hertha (Zubke) Schulz in Waubay. She was the oldest of four daughters. LaVerne attended county school 211 in Egeland Township. She graduated from Waubay High School in 1942. After graduation, she worked at different cafes in Webster. Later she moved to Minneapolis where she worked at Kresges Dime Store until her marriage to Walter Barnhardt of Big Stone City, SD on February 10, 1946 at First English Lutheran Church. She followed her husband to Aberdeen, MD where he was stationed with the U.S. Army. After Walters’ discharge in 1948, they moved in with her parents and farmed for 10 years. Then they moved to a farm south of Ortley where they farmed for another 8 years. In 1966 they moved into Waubay and bought and operated the Waubay Café for 11 years. Due to her husband’s bad health they closed the café and she began working at the Waubay Municipal Liquor Store as a clerk. LaVerne was a member of the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church, Zion LWML, Ruth Circle and sang in the choir. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and also an honorary member of the Waubay Senior Citizens Center. She loved playing cards, bingo and doing craft work. LaVerne made many beautiful items that she gave to the Senior Citizens Center and to members of the Ladies Aid. She loved cooking and baking for her family. She was noted for her happy go lucky attitude and friendly disposition. She is survived by her four sons; Michael and his wife, Corrine, Rapid City, Daniel and his wife, Susan, Rapid City, Randy and his wife, Linda, Sioux Falls and Ryan and his wife, Cathy, Milbank, nine grandchildren, ten great grandchildren, her sister Phyllis Richardt and her husband,Verlin, Rapid City, brothers in law, Vernon Kroger, Rapid City and John Sinner, Webster and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband and two sisters.