LaVern Petersen Schmidt

1924 - 2017

LaVern Petersen Schmidt, the son of Eli and Lena (Petersen) Schmidt, was born April 30, 1924, at his parent's home west of Audubon, Iowa and died August 28, 2017, at the Exira Care Center in Exira, Iowa at the age of 93 years, 3 months, and 28 days.
LaVern was baptized May 24, 1924 at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Audubon, Iowa and later confirmed there. While attending confirmation he met his future wife Carrie. He attended rural Audubon county schools then helped operate the family farm. On January 18, 1944, he was inducted into the U.S. Navy entering active duty status on January 24, 1944. During his tour of duty he served as a cook on the USS Salamaua in the Pacific Theatre. The ship was attacked by a Japanese Kamikaze airplane and damaged the galley and killing the crew where LaVern had been just a few minutes before. Later his ship was present in Tokyo Bay on September 2, 1945, when the Japanese surrendered. LaVern was honorably discharged on April 26, 1946, and returned to the Audubon area to farm with his father.
On January 15, 1947, he was united in marriage to Carrie E. Albertsen at the Grand View Lutheran Church in Des Moines, Iowa. They were blessed with two children Linda and Kurt. They rented a farm east of Audubon for a short time then moved to Fiscus, Iowa and farmed there for several years. They again moved east of Audubon where they rented the Clark Arnold farm. In 1958 they purchased a farm east of Audubon in Melville Township. They raised hay, corn, and fed cattle. They moved into Audubon, but continued to farm. Carrie died June 21, 2012. LaVern continued his land acquisitions and cattle feeding until late 2012 when his health began to fail. LaVern enjoyed his home then moved to the Exira Care Center in Exira, Iowa in August of 2013.
LaVern was a member of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Audubon and was a life member of Dale Christensen Post #4119, V.F.W. in Audubon. One of Lavern's greatest passions was raising and feeding cattle.
Preceding him in death was his wife Carrie Schmidt; his son Kurt Schmidt; his parents, his sister Irma Schmidt; his brothers-in-law Russell Albertsen and Ernest Albertsen; his sister-in-law Betty Schmidt; and his father-in-law and mother-in-law Mike H. and Sidsel (Christensen) Albertsen.
Survivors include his daughter Linda and husband Ron Wells of Audubon, Iowa; his grandson Jason and wife Kristin Dominick of Evansville, Indiana; his great grandchildren Isaac Dominick and Lauren Dominick both of Evansville; his brother Everett Schmidt of Bella Vista, Arkansas; his sister-in-law Ardys Albertsen of Carroll, Iowa, nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and many friends.
The family met with friends Monday evening September 4, 2017, at 5:00 P.M. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Audubon, Iowa. Funeral services were conducted by Pastor Doug Opp on Tuesday morning, September 5, 2017, at 10:30 A.M. at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Audubon. Interment was held in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon. The honorary casket bearers were Everett Schmidt, Leland Weber, Dean Weber, Marvin Jorgensen, Robert Sornson, Dale Sloth, and Dale Edwards. The casket bearers were Jason Dominick, Isaac Dominick, Brett Schmidt, Jeff Albertsen, Mike Albertsen, and Ken Burns.