LaVonne Weittenhiller

LaVonne A. Weittenhiller, 83, of Livingston, Wisconsin, died on Monday, December 11, 2017 at Jefferson Community Health & Life Hospital, Fairbury, Nebraska. Funeral Services will be at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, December 16, 2017 at the Livingston United Methodist Church, Livingston. Rev. Ty Hines will officiate. Burial will follow the service at the Arthur Cemetery. Friends may call on Friday, December 15, 2017 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the Melby Funeral Home & Crematory, Platteville. Memorials may be made to the LaVonne A. Weittenhiller Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 245, Platteville, WI 53818. Online condolences can be made at www.melbyfh.com.

LaVonne was born on May 16, 1934 in Tracy, Minnesota, daughter of Raymond Nybo and Lu Ella (Vanderlinden) Zens. She spent her early childhood playing along the banks of Plum Creek near Walnut Grove, Minnesota. Her family moved to Platteville, Wisconsin in 1948 to start the Zip pop factory. She was united in marriage to Merrill W. Weittenhiller on June 18, 1951 at the Little Brown Church in the Vale, Nashua, Iowa. LaVonne was a wonderful wife and mother. Hand-in-hand with Merrill, they managed the Meridell Guernsey Farm near Aurthur, Wisconsin from 1951 until 1996. Having been raised in a town in Minnesota, LaVonne had never been on a farm in her life until her marriage. She said, “The transition was hard, but it wasn't long before I thought farm living was the best kind of life. Farm life has contributed to the closeness in our family. We have all learned about life and death together and about the necessity of each one doing their share to make the whole project work.” While Merrill's domain was the barn and fields, LaVonne ran the household. She was instrumental in raising five children, making sure plenty of good food was always prepared, and seeing to it that the home was warm, comfortable and full of love. LaVonne enjoyed decorating and had an eye for keeping a beautiful house. The farm provided the means for a great life for all to learn, laugh, love and thoroughly enjoy one another. Life was a little slower …and it was good. She was a lifetime member of the Arthur United Methodist Church, where she served as the Treasurer and as a lay-person, often sharing biblical teachings that directly impacted her life. LaVonne was an avid Badger basketball fan and a season ticket holder. She enjoyed home decorating, crosswords, traveling, reading, playing cards, bowling, and being involved in the daily lives of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

LaVonne is survived by her four children, Cynthia Attaway, Kari (Michael) Fisher, Curtis (Sharon) Weittenhiller and Steven (Susan) Weittenhiller; 11 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; and a brother, Orville Nybo. She was preceded in death by her husband, Merrill, her son, Jay and her parents, Raymond Nybo and Lu Ella Zens.