Obituary of LaVonne Lois Levar

LaVonne Lois (Jackson) Levar won peace on Jan. 18, 2015, surrounded by family and dear friends, flowers and music, and many joyful memories. Though the last 16 years of her life were spent with the constant uncertainties that pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer brought her, Von never ceased to live life to its fullest. Bursting with energy and quick to smile, she inspired and encouraged everyone around her even when the weight of her affliction was more than anyone should have to bear. Von was born on Aug. 9, 1956 to Jerry and Vivian Jackson. She enjoyed growing up in Barron, Wis., with her sister Diane and brothers Kenny and Lindy. She remained a farm girl at heart for all of her life, treasuring and often sharing memories of her childhood; horseback riding and playing with dogs, listening to her father sing "You are my sunshine" while on his milk route, warm summer days, and participation in 4-H events. In June 1983, she met Tom Levar and began the most wonderful journey together with him. They married on Aug. 25, 1984, and were blessed with over 30 years together. They enjoyed many days of canoeing and adventures in the Boundary Waters and on Burntside Lake. Her love of the outdoors was always evident in her enjoyment of long walks on the shore of Lake Superior and in the numerous flower gardens she painstakingly maintained at their home. Von gave life to three children and provided them with everything they need to lead lives full of happiness, success, and significance. Her greatest joy was found in helping her boys realize their potential, and her unconditional love and support will be with them for the rest of their days. Von will be remembered by her many, many friends as a woman of hospitality, generosity, great food, better conversation, and an infectious appreciation for life's mysteries and wonders. Von also had an accomplished professional career, and her attitude of service to others was evident in all that she did. She graduated with both a B.A. and M.S. in Communication Disorders from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Following graduate school, Von was employed in Wisconsin public schools and in private practice in Minneapolis as a speech pathologist. Her career at the University of Minnesota - Duluth (UMD) began in 1985 and continued until 2004. She was the director of the Pierce Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic at UMD, and in that role dedicated herself to being an advocate for her clients and their families and a role model for many undergraduate and graduate students. She was very proud to have helped develop "Project Interact," a free of charge community program designed to help pre-school children with language and fluency problems. "Project Interact" continues to this day and has been emulated by many institutions in the years since she began it at UMD. She was honored with numerous teaching and clinical awards, including a Clinical Achievement Award from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in 1990. Von felt blessed to have had a career that fit her talents so perfectly, that allowed her to serve the needs of others meaningfully, and that brought her so many lifelong friends. After her illness required a severe restriction in her diet, Von created and maintained a beautiful blog, "Pureed Pzazz", where she shared healthy recipes that she created or modified to fit her limited diet. She was encouraged by the numerous positive responses of her blog followers from all around the world. She was an active volunteer with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, and helped coordinate activities in the Duluth region, including planning the Purple Night of Hope and Remembrance for those affected by pancreatic cancer. She cared deeply about pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer research, and supported the efforts of the Caring for Carcinoid Foundation, which aims to increase awareness and research of this type of pancreatic cancer. She expressed great comfort in knowing that through her struggles she was able to benefit the lives of others. She was preceded in death by her loving father and mother, Jerry and Vivian Jackson. Her ever committed husband Tom is thankful for the years they had together and the love they shared. Beloved sons Sam, Dan, and Caleb, with his wife Kiara, look forward to carrying on her legacy of love with the multitude of dear friends their mother impacted. CELEBRATION OF LIFE: 11 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, in Sacred Heart Music in Duluth. All are welcome. Memorials should be directed towards one of Von's passions: Helping those with speech and language challenges (Robert F. Pierce Scholarship Fund, UMD), supporting those suffering from pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer (Caring for Carcinoid Foundation), and reaching the end of life with grace and dignity (Solvay Hospice House).