LaVern Ellwanger

LaVern Ellwanger, 98, of Fort Pierre, passed away February 4, 2025 at Peaceful Pines Senior Living
Visitation: 9:30-10:30am, Monday, February 17, 2025 at Lutheran Memorial Church
Funeral Service: 10:30am, Monday, February 17, 2025 at Lutheran Memorial Church
Interment: Riverside Cemetery CLICK HERE to watch LaVern's service live.
LaVern Evelyn Ellwanger, 98, passed away peacefully on February 4, 2025 at Peaceful Pines, Ft Pierre with her youngest daughters by her side. She was born on the family farm in Spink County, SD on May 9, 1926 with her twin sister LaVaun to John and Leona (Wallbrink) Schroeder. Her young life was spent working alongside her family on the farm. It is where she developed her strong work ethic. She attended school in Redfield, SD and graduated in 1944. She met Clair R. Schwenn and they were married on August 23, 1946. In 1952, they moved to Pierre, SD where LaVern lived and worked for the remainder of her life.
In 1966, due to Clair's health concerns she started working for the South Dakota Department of Revenue and worked there for 21 years before retiring in 1987. In 1968, Clair was killed in a work accident leaving LaVern to raise her children on her own. LaVern met and married Rudy Ellwanger on June 8, 1976. Their marriage was filled with many adventures together. A wealth of memories were built around family and friends. They were fondly known as Grandma Tank and Grandpa Chunk (due to his fondness for little chunk chocolate bars). They both retired in 1987 to be snowbirds but changed their minds and stayed put.
Because of her nature she went back to work. First at Merriman's, then Dakotamart bakery, then to Kmart's Little Caesar, and finally at Walmart where she worked until the age of 89. She was an advocate for the VFW Auxiliary spending countless hours working and promoting the organization. She was one to never have idle hands; she took up crocheting making numerous afghans for grandchildren, wash clothes and the best scrubbies around. She was never one to pass a weed without bending down and pulling it out. On top of being a homemaker and working; she took in ironing.
She was preceded in death by her parents, 2 sisters, 1 brother, stillborn son, 2 husbands, son-in-law Kevin Sarvis, and her daughter Kathleen Hettle. Grateful for sharing her life, she is survived by her son Carl (Donna) Schwenn (Cheney WA) daughters Barbara (Bob) Kelton (Electric City WA), Mary Sarvis (Pierre SD), and Kay (Steve) Magdanz (Pierre SD), son-in-law Joe Hettle (Klamath Falls OR), sister-in-law Edith Schwenn, 13 grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews from both marriages. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.