LaVaughn R. Bennett

LaVaughn Rae Gerland Bennett
August 20, 1935 - April 16, 2024
A caring, loving and inspiring person, LaVaughn "Vonnie" Rae Gerland Bennett was a strong Christian who prioritized her faith throughout her life and trusted in God. A lifelong Lutheran, she was a positive and encouraging presence to all who knew her and had countless opportunities to enrich the lives of others. Vonnie was a founding and charter member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Gracious and generous, she actively volunteered and was involved in shepherding groups, vacation bible school, altar guild, women's ministry, senior's ministry, and provided meals for friends in need. She was a welcoming force in the church and the community. She was a member of Church Women United, actively involved in the Auxiliary of the National Lutheran Home and volunteered for Gaithersburg Federated Women's Club, and Gaithersburg HELP.
She took great pride in her Midwestern roots, and her German and Norwegian heritage. Growing up in Wisconsin, life there held a special place in her heart, with fond memories of winter activities including ice skating. She was born in Rice Lake and was the eldest daughter of Raymond and Gladys Gerland's five children. Her grandfather founded the Rice Lake Creamery Company, the family business, where they manufactured a wide range of Gerland's brand dairy products, including ice cream which remained Vonnie's favorite treat any time of the year. A Rice Lake High School scholar with perfect attendance, Vonnie loved school where she enjoyed cheerleading, band, and was also the homecoming and prom queen.
Upon graduation from Rice Lake High School, she headed to the highly regarded University of Wisconsin-Madison (UW-Madison) to begin her studies as an undergraduate. She was a top student and celebrated being a Wisconsin Badger. She took advantage of opportunities on campus, as a member of the sorority, Pi Beta Phi, and also enjoyed activities across the campus from Langdon Street to Bascom Hill and Camp Randall Stadium where she cheered on her beloved Badger football team. She graduated from the UW-Madison earning her Bachelor of Science in Education. After graduating from UW-Madison, she began her teaching career at Beloit High School in Wisconsin. She went on to earn her Master of Science in Education and Counseling at Michigan State University. After graduate school, she was selected to become the physical education teacher at Denver East High School in Denver, Colorado where she taught for several years. In Denver, she met and married Warren C. Bennett. While in Colorado, they enjoyed the mountains, skiing and the great outdoors, until they moved across the country to the Washington, DC area settling in Gaithersburg, Maryland where they raised three daughters.
In 1963, she began her long and successful career with the Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) system as a teacher and a coach. As a teacher with MCPS, she taught students from elementary through middle and high school. She began her MCPS teaching career with Richard Montgomery High School, where she taught physical education and coached the cheerleaders. She retired from MCPS as the physical education teacher for Kemp Mill Elementary School, where she was well known and respected as a creative and charismatic physical education teacher. She integrated music, math, and science into her engaging physical education lessons and classes. She had the tremendous ability to connect with and inspire her students as a strong role model. In addition to teaching the core values of physical fitness and health, she consistently helped her students, and launched fun and engaging activities, including Jump Rope for Heart, running clubs, and after school sports. Vonnie always encouraged kindness to others and taught with purpose, inspiring her students with positive messages, and the motivational values they needed to perform, succeed, and reach their goals. She received the State of Maryland award for Teaching Excellence.
Always athletic, Vonnie enjoyed skiing, hiking, golf and tennis. She was an amazing dancer; especially enjoying the polka and jitterbug. She was a lifelong University of Wisconsin Badger and a member of the University of Wisconsin, Washington, DC Alumni Board. Taking great pride in her Norwegian heritage, she was a member of the Sons of Norway Washington, DC Club and a Board Member. She enjoyed entertaining, including opportunities to provide hospitality to others through the camaraderie of the various clubs she was involved with, including the Young Women's Club of Gaithersburg, and in later years, the Red Hat Society.
She prioritized attending all biennial family reunions, "Grand Gerland Gallivants" from 1992 to 2018. Reunions were held in Germany, Alaska, California, Colorado, New York and many other locations. She and her family hosted the 2002 reunion that created special family memories for all in Washington, DC. She enjoyed traveling the United States and the world with her friend Frank Walkuskie. Together, they traveled to Africa, Norway, Europe, Hawaii, and many favorite places throughout the United States.
Family and friends were always important to her. A true patriot, she was a Blue Star Mother. She loved watching and hearing about her grandchildren's sports including baseball, lacrosse, soccer, frisbee football and crew. She was known to send encouraging cards with handwritten notes. She exemplified meaningful values to her family that will be carried on.
She is survived by her three daughters, Kris, Jane and Becky, sons-in-law Charles, Travis and Mark, and five grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband Warren, her parents Raymond and Gladys Gerland, and her brother, Dan. She is also survived by her three sisters, Sandy, Gwen and Lynette, and countless family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts in memory of LaVaughn R. Bennett may be directed to support patients at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. Please make checks payable to Johns Hopkins University. Gifts may be mailed with a memo indicating that this gift is in memory of LaVaughn R. Bennett to the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center, P.O. Box 49143, Baltimore, MD 21297-9143 or make a gift online https://secure.jhu.edu/form/Kimmel at https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/kimmel-cancer-center.
Also, in lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in memory of LaVaughn R. Bennett to the Rockville Benevolent Endowment Fund at The Village of Rockville (A Lutheran Community), 9701 Veirs Drive, Rockville, MD 20850.
A Celebration of Life will take place at The Village at Rockville Chapel, A National Lutheran Community on Saturday, August 24 at 2:00pm. Private burial will take place at a later date.