Laverna Couey's Obituary
Laverna Mattie Couey (Cary) died peacefully September 19, 2018 with her daughter Linda by her side. Laverna was born with twin brother Lavern, on December 1, 1932 to Wilbur and Mattie (Stewart) Cary on a farm near Grant, Nebraska. Laverna grew up with her older sister Nelma, older brother Orval, twin brother Lavern, and younger brother Frank. The family joined the migration west in 1935, stopping first in Emmett, Idaho and then moving to the Willamette Valley, Oregon, the next year. The Cary family lived in difficult times, from the drought and crop failure in the Midwest, to starting over in Oregon, and the difficult years of World War II. The family moved often, and lived in austerity, but their home was full of music and laughter, and they learned the value of family and community.
Laverna graduated from high school in 1950 and began a series of office jobs at Oregon State College. While working at OSC, she renewed her friendship with a bright graduate student from Philomath, Melvin Couey. They were married in 1955 and began their life together in Ames, Iowa, and a year later settled in Fresno, California where Laverna gave birth to Linda, Lyle and Tom. In Fresno, they settled into raising their young family, attended the Millbrook Presbyterian Church, made many friends, and bought a vineyard where they planned to build a house someday. In 1966, the family travelled by car to live in Ann Arbor, Michigan for the summer, while Melvin attended the University of Michigan.
In 1968 the family moved to Wenatchee, Washington. There Laverna and the family became active in the Brethren Baptist Church and the community. The family cherished the many friendships made in Wenatchee and it has remained a special place in their hearts. They enjoyed many trips to Oregon for visits with family, and warm summers spent with family in Payette Lake, Idaho.
In 1977 the family moved to Hilo, Hawaii. With the hard work of middle age and raising children behind them, Laverna and Melvin were able to enjoy the beauty and romance that Hawaii affords. They enjoyed the opportunity to host friends and relatives who came to visit. Laverna volunteered at the hospital, worked as a medical receptionist, and was active in the First United Protestant Church.
In 1988, Laverna and Melvin retired to a small acreage near Albany, Oregon and started a u-pick farm, “Couey’s Summer Fruits.” They grew Peaches, Blueberries and Apples and were active in the Albany Mennonite Church. Laverna loved being a Grama on the farm, and received many visits from her grandchildren, and many nearby nieces, nephews, and their children. She loved nothing more than to fill her great big kitchen with family and food and laughter.
In 2002, following Melvin’s death, Laverna sold the farm and moved to Albany. She moved back to Wenatchee in 2006, and was grateful to rekindle old friendships and be close to the Tom Couey family. Her time in Wenatchee was marked by hard-fought battle with ovarian cancer.
In 2012, she moved to western Washington to be closer to the Linda Carnahan and Lyle Couey families. Not long after relocating, Laverna began showing signs of dementia, and her health steadily declined until her death.
Laverna lived in many places throughout her life and had many cherished experiences and friendships. She lived in seven states, and moved over 25 times. The constants in her life were faith and family. She had a wide variety of jobs throughout her life, some paying jobs, and many volunteer positions. Laverna was a Sunday School teacher, a Cub Scout Den Mother, a Church Choir alto, a Children’s Health Clinic organizer, a voter precinct volunteer, and an expert pie maker. She worked as a berry picker, a secretary, in a bank, as a bookkeeper, and a Farmer. One of her favorite jobs was working as a medical receptionist for a Naturopath in Hawaii. She served as a Church Treasurer and bookkeeper, and in many other roles in the church. After she and Melvin retired to farming, she was the organizer, telephone operator, marketer, and public relations officer behind their U-pick operation. She was a devoted mother to her children, a loving spouse, and a caregiver to her parents and husband in their later years. Throughout her life she demonstrated the values of her faith, living life modestly, humbly serving others, and treating people with kindness and empathy. She had a knack for organization, a quick wit, and a keen sense of humor. She spent her life putting the needs of other ahead of her own.
Laverna was preceded in death by her husband, Melvin Couey, her parents, Wilbur and Mattie Cary, her sister Nelma Zeigler, her three brothers, Orval Cary, Lavern Cary, and Frank Cary, and her son-in-law Pat Carnahan. She is survived by her children Linda Carnahan, Lyle Couey (Angilee), Tom Couey (Kathy), her grandchildren, Cisco Fuentes (Amber), Carlos Fuentes (Nafi), Tessa Fuentes, Laura Couey, Sam Couey, Adam Couey, Erin Couey, and Ryan Couey, and her great-grandchildren Anthony Berg, Preston Fuentes, Gabriel Fuentes and Mariah Crichton Palmeira (Kanoa), and great-great granddaughter Kamirah Palmeira.
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