Obituary of LaVaun Whitnah
LaVaun Whitnah, 94, died Oct. 20, 2020, at Homestead at Maplewood, MN. She was born Feb. 22, 1926, in Grundy Center, IA, to Ernest and Mildred (DeSeelhorst) Diehl. She had two brothers, Douglas and Donovan. She played clarinet in the Ames H.S. marching band and studied home economics at Iowa State University.
LaVaun married Donald Whitnah Oct. 6, 1946 in Ames. They moved to St. Paul, MN, for Don’s job as a mechanical engineer at 3M. They designed and built their own house in White Bear Lake, gradually filling it with their five children plus a foreign exchange student from Thailand. The couple were longtime members of First Baptist Church, St. Paul, where LaVaun taught Sunday School. Later, they joined Parkview United Church of Christ, WBL. The family spent summer vacations exploring the U.S. and Canada with their Mallard trailer and produced their annual original Christmas cards in assembly-line fashion at the dining room table.
LaVaun worked as a secretary for White Bear Lake School District 1967-88. She was widowed in 1976. After retirement, she became an even more active grandma to her beloved brood, volunteered with Second Harvest, joined a book club, mentored English as a Second Language students at Century College, and traveled independently and with Elderhostel. She was a supportive mother, witty correspondent, creative problem-solver, and thoughtful friend. She donated blood and questioned businesses about product stereotypes. Her sewing, knitting and crocheting talents yielded family garments, home décor, doll clothes, and fleece pajamas for a greyhound granddog. She liked word puzzles, birds, lakes, and cooking, from traditional succotash to “exotic” tabbouleh. Homemade caramel puff corn was a signature treat.
In 2009, LaVaun suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. Immediate brain surgery saved her life. She then worked diligently with therapists to improve balance and mobility. Physical limitations led to a move to assisted living, where she relished the many visits from family members, the younger the better. With a combination of fortitude and good humor, she exceeded such statistical averages as post-stroke survival rate and months in hospice care. Her passing was peaceful with family nearby.
LaVaun is survived by her sons Dave (Marcia) Whitnah, Isanti, MN, and Dan (Sue) Whitnah, Superior, CO; her daughters Linda (Craig) Belknap, Janesville, WI; Pat Eucken, Dayton, OR; and Jan (Leo) Woitas, Bowling Green, KY; grandchildren Dawn, Lisa (Pat), Tim, Matt (Meaghan), Joanna (Matt), Jeremy, Krista (Braden), Kayla (Jason), Kristen (fiancé Steve), Benjy (Shannon), Andrew, Jim, Emily, Ryan (Sarah), Katie (John), and Stephen; 20 great-grandchildren, four great-great grandchildren, sisters-in-law, cousins, nephews and nieces.
LaVaun’s cremains will be interred at Sunset Cemetery, Minneapolis, adjacent to Don’s gravesite. A remembrance gathering will be arranged at a later date.
“I like to think about how to make life better.”—LaVaun Whitnah
