LAVERNE STRINGHAM

LAVERNE STRINGHAM JULY 2, 1931 - APRIL 25, 2025 Laverne Corrine Stringham, age 93, of Paola, Kansas passed away April 25, 2025. She was the daughter of the late George and Corrine Prothe and was born on July 2, 1931 in Paola, Kansas. She attended Paola Schools. While attending Paola High School, Laverne learned shorthand and other skills that would serve her well in her future as a legal secretary. One memento her family found that Laverne had kept through the years was a Gregg Shorthand Speed Certificate dated March 25, 1948 where it stated Laverne wrote in Gregg Shorthand for five minutes at sixty words a minute. Laverne graduated from Paola High School in 1949. Laverne then began her 69 year career in the legal profession as a legal secretary. She worked for various attorneys in Paola. The majority of those years were spent working for Marvin Barkis. Marvin and his wife, Kay Barkis, became lifetime friends. On August 12, 1953, she was united in marriage to Jim Stringham at Block in Paola, KS. They were married for 65 years before Jim passed away in 2018. Their marriage was blessed with six children. Laverne was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Jim, three brothers, and her son, Bill Stringham. She is survived by her children Sheryl (Mike) Giebler, Brenda (Martin) Janzen, Rob Stringham, Shelli (Bill) Barnes, and Steve (Jill) Stringham; 8 grandchildren, and 8 great grandchildren and one on the way; and her sister Janet England; sisters-in-law, Janice Prothe and Venita Prothe. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 29, 2025 at First Lutheran Church, 401 E. Piankishaw, Paols, KS, 66071. The funeral ceremony will immediately follow the visitation at First Lutheran beginning at 11:30 a.m. Burial will be in the Osawatomie Cemetery. Memorials are to First Lutheran Church or Brighton Hospice and can be sent in care of the funeral home, Dengel and Son Mortuary, 305 N. Pearl St., Paola, KS 66071. Family and friends are encouraged to post their memories and condolences on Laverne's tribute wall.