Irene Lavonne Musick

Irene “Lavonne” (Howey) Musick was born in Fairplay, Colorado on May 8th, 1937, to Earl S and Margaurite (Crane) Howey. She was the youngest of 6 children. After High School graduation she attended the University of Northen Colorado for one year on a music scholarship. She played the trombone in the marching band at UNC.

In June 1956 she married Mick Hazel, to this union one child was born, Linda Sue (Hazel) Pirog.

Lavonne had a long career working for Mountain Bell and later AT&T doing several different jobs including telephone operator, dispatch repair and routing. She took off time from the phone company and worked as a school secretary while Linda was growing up so that she could spend more time at home with her daughter.

On February 16th, 1984, she married LeRoy Musick, and they began their life together full of love and adventures. Lavonne and LeRoy owned and operated a fiber optic business in Colorado Springs and later opened and ran the 12th St Café in Imperial, Nebraska.

Upon retirement they bought an RV and traveled the country from Alaska to Florida. They spent several winters in Rock Port, Texas where they made many friends. It was in Rock Port that she learned to play her favorite game, Mahjong.

Lavonne was an excellent cook. She had many hobbies including gardening, knitting, cross stitch and quilting. She loved to read, do crossword puzzles, and play the piano. She enjoyed the friends she made playing Bridge in Imperial-although she never felt she had mastered the game. She attended the Methodist Church in Imperial and volunteered at the food pantry.

Lavonne loved traveling with LeRoy to car shows and went on many lake/boating trips with family and friends. Lavonne and Linda were very close and went on many mother/daughter trips for shopping, spa days and concerts. They were joined by her granddaughter Erica (Pirog) Ellicott for many of those trips.

Lavonne loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren and attended their various sporting events whenever she could. In recent years she loved watching professional basketball and football, especially the Denver Nuggets and Denver Broncos.

Lavonne passed away on November 21st, 2025, at the age of 88. Until the very end she was a loving and giving person, always worried about how everyone else was doing. She died at home surrounded by loved ones. We will miss her, but she is at peace now and no longer suffering with pain.

She was preceeded in death by her parents and four of her siblings.

She is survived by her husband LeRoy Musick and sister Margie Bratzlar. Brother-in-law Gene (Donna) Musick.

Daughter Linda (Jim) Pirog: Matt (Skylar Falter) Pirog and Erica (TJ) Ellicott. Five great grandchildren.

Stepdaughter Melisa (Clay) Owens: Riley and Grayson Owens

Stepdaughter Lisa (Musick) Johnson, stepson’s Mark and Troy Musick: numerous step grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Numerous nieces and nephews and many friends.

An informal celebration of life /open house will be held on Monday December 1st from 4:00-6:00 P.M. (MT) at Liewer Funeral Home, 841 Court Street, Imperial.

Memorial Contributions may be made to the Chase County Food Pantry or the Chase County Senior Center.