Dorothy ""LaVonne"" Bjorngaard

Dorothy "LaVonne" Bjorngaard, 91, of Zumbrota, formerly of Wanamingo, died Saturday, April 25, 2015, at the Zumbrota Health Services where she had resided for the past two years.

A memorial service is scheduled for Thursday, April 30, 2015, at 11 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Wanamingo, with Pastor Christopher Culuris officiating. Burial will be in Trinity Cemetery.

The visitation is scheduled for Wednesday, April 29, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Mahn Family Funeral Home - Larson Chapel in Zumbrota, and on Thursday one hour prior to the service at the church. 

Dorothy LaVonne Haller was born Jan. 12, 1924, in Wanamingo, to Fred and Anna (Swee) Haller. She graduated from Wanamingo High School in 1942, and then attended the Minneapolis Beauty School. She worked as a beautician in Kenyon before her marriage to Joel Bjorngaard on Sept. 2, 1944, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Wanamingo. They made their home in Red Wing where she was a beautician. In 1947, the couple moved back to Wanamingo. LaVonne was a beautician in Mantorville for many years before opening her own beauty shop, The Magic Mirror, in Wanamingo, where she also perfected the '80s men's haircuts. After selling the beauty shop and retiring, she worked at Riverview Services in Wanamingo. LaVonne also redesigned clothing for residents in wheelchairs and knitted and sold Norwegian sweaters.

She enjoyed knitting, sewing, spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and was an avid Minnesota Twins fan. She was a life member of Trinity Lutheran Church where she was the first to be baptized. 

LaVonne is survived by three daughters, Jackie (Tom) Auseth of Wanamingo; Becky (Kerry) Jones of Elkton, Md.; and Sara (Marlin) Rude of Zumbrota; eight grandchildren, Christine (Jon) Houglum, Jen (Joe) Sharp, Dan (Erika) Jones, Darik (Minde) Rude, Andy (Krystle) Rude and Kelsey (Ty) Schulz, Nick (Lynn) Auseth and Amy (Jason) Raths; 12 great-grandchildren, Erin, and Matthew Houglum, Nolan, Norah, Joel and Nathan Rude, Joshua Sharp, Ashley (Travis) Bestul, Shelby and Bailey Auseth, Lucas and Brenden Raths.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Joel, who died March 10, 2012, her parents, Fred and Anna, her brother, Arvid Haller and her sisters, Ruth Satren and Vi Gonstad.

Friends may share a memory at mahnfamilyfuneralhome.com.