LaVetra Brown

LaVetra Florene (Evans) Brown, age 91, of Abilene, Kansas passed away April 10, 2025 in Abilene. She was born October 13, 1933 in Turpin, Oklahoma, the daughter of Rupert R. and Maurine Mae (Cox) Evans. She graduated from Turpin High School in 1951. She received a degree in Business and Physical Education in 1954 from Northwestern Oklahoma State University in Alva, Oklahoma. She married Kenneth W. Brown from Cleo Springs, Oklahoma on December 27, 1953. They were the first married couple to graduate from NWOSU. After graduation she followed Ken in the US Army to Ft. Bliss, Texas, Ft. Belvoir, Virginia, and Kaiserslautern, Germany.
LaVetra taught Business at Coats, Kansas Consolidated School from 1956-1958. She later taught Business, Physical Education, Reading, and was a media specialist in Partridge, Minneapolis, and Abilene, Kansas, where she retired in 1994. She was a member of KNEA, NEA, and an active member of KASL (Kansas Association of School Librarians). She served two terms on the Abilene City Library Board.
LaVetra was a devoted wife and a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was a loyal friend to many. She was an avid athlete and loved to enjoy many sports. She loved to watch KU basketball and there were few things in life that took priority over watching a game! She also loved to travel and she and Ken traveled extensively in their retirement years.
LaVetra was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth. Survivors include two sons, Randy (Sherry), of Marysville, Kansas and Gary (Pam), of Fort Scott, Kansas, grandchildren Sarah (Brent) Blair Graham, Laura Brewster, Jessica (Justin) Powell, Michael (Natthamon) Brown, Christopher Brown, Nicole (Luke) Shaw, Kacie (Nik) Parimi, great grandchildren, Campbell, Anna, Kenny, James, LaVetra, Louis, Juniper, Olivia, and Cade, sister Jean (Lefty) Smith, and brother Jerry (Donna) Evans. She was preceded in death by her husband, Kenneth.
Private family graveside services will be held at the Abilene Cemetery at 1:00 PM on Friday, April 18. Following the service, at 1:30 PM we will greet family and friends at a dessert reception to be held at the First United Methodist Church of Abilene, 601 North Cedar Street. In lieu of flowers, family requests donations to Home Health and Hospice of Dickinson County. They may be sent in care of Danner Funeral Home, 501 North Buckeye, Abilene, Kansas, 67410.