Patricia M. Lavery

Patricia M. Lavery, 82 of Elkhart, passed away Saturday, May 23rd at Elkhart General Hospital.

She was born Aug. 17, 1932 in Elkhart to Robert A and Hazel (Macumber) Crussemeyer and was raised by foster parents, Harold and Gladys Longacre. She married Robert G. Lavery on Aug. 10, 1952 in Elkhart. He died on March 17, 2008. She is survived by a son, Kenneth (Gail) Lavery of Punta Gorda, FL and a daughter, Mary C. Lavery of Elkhart; a brother, Jack (JoAnne) Longacre of Elkhart, 2 sisters, Imogene (Carl) Kiebel of Elkhart and Velora Jean Gang of Crown Point, IN and her pal “Miss Kitty”. She was preceded in death by 3 sisters, Helen and Waunita Stout and Barbara Jernigan and 5 brothers, Ralph, Dale, Richard, Henry and Robert Crussemeyer.

Pat graduated from Elkhart High School in 1950 and earned her Bachelor’s degree from Goshen College and a Master’s degree from Valparaiso University. She retired from LaPorte Community School Corp. in 1988, having taught for 25 years.

She attended the chapel at Boardwalk Retirement Community and was a member of Mu Phi Epsilon, Honorary Music Sorority, AAUW and she played violin with the Elkhart, South Bend and Rockford, IL Symphonies and the LaPorte Chamber Orchestra.

Visitation for Pat will be from 11 am to 1 pm Wednesday, May 27th at Stemm-Lawson-Peterson Funeral Home, Elkhart where services will begin at 1 pm Wednesday.

She will be laid to rest with her husband Bob at Rice Cemetery at a later date.

Memorials may be given to the Feral Cat Coalition or Boardwalk Retirement Community Chapel. Online condolences may be sent to www.stemmlawsonpeterson.com.