LAVERNE E. FRAGOMENI

LAVERNE E. FRAGOMENI

Laverne E. Fragomeni, 90, passed away Monday, Feb. 1, 2016, in Highlands Ranch, Colo. She was born Oct. 22, 1925 in Omaha, Neb., to Charles and Lillian Beck. Laverne is survived by sons Chris Pennels (born 1955, wife Gail) of Highlands Ranch, Colo., Scott Pennels (born 1961) of Broomall, Penn., and by her granddaughter, Mia Pennels (born 1990) of Seattle, Wash., as well as a number of nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her sister Lillian Mann (1922-2012), first husband Norman Pennels (1923-1992), second husband Vince Fragomeni ( 1927-2011), son Mark Pennels (1953-2014, married 1981 to Alice Frechette) and grandson Michael Pennels (1988-2008).

Laverne's family moved to the Los Angeles area during her infancy and she resided there for her teenage and young adult years. She graduated from El Monte Union High School in 1943 and later attended East Los Angeles Junior College. She then worked as a secretary for Fluor Corp. from 1946 to 1952. She married Norman Pennels in Pasadena, CA on Feb. 14, 1952. They moved to Lansing, Illinois that year and brought their three sons into the world between 1953 and 1961. The family moved multiple times as dictated by Norman's employment with Sinclair Oil Corp. and Atlantic Richfield Co., including stops in New Canaan, Conn., Olympia Fields, Ill., Newtown Square, Penn., and Long Beach, Calif. After Norman's retirement in 1985 they settled in Carmel, Calif., and in 1990 they then moved to Green Valley, Ariz.

Norman passed away in 1992 and Laverne later met and then married Vince Fragomeni on May 24, 1997 in Green Valley. They had 13 happy years and after Vince's passing in March 2011, Laverne remained in Green Valley until the fall of 2012 when she relocated to St. George, Utah to be closer to her son Mark. After Mark's passing in 2014, her son Chris then moved her to Highlands Ranch, Colo., where she remained until her passing.

Laverne was very athletic and active. She excelled at tennis and softball in her teen and young adult years, winning a number of tennis tournaments in the Los Angeles area. She later was a women's club champion multiple times during her stops in Connecticut and Pennsylvania. She was also an avid golfer and bowler of above average ability. She was an accomplished artist and superior housewife and mother. Her personality was her biggest strength and enabled her to always make friends despite all of the relocations she was a part of.

Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 11, 2016 at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Centennial, CO. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer's Association.