Laverna Larson Obituary

On Sunday, July 13, 2025, our Heavenly Father called Laverna Holtkamp Larson home, where she is now pain-free, worry-free, and of sound mind surrounded by all she held dear.

Her devotion to Mother Mary is apparent in the life she lived, and a Mass of Christian Burial was held July 23, 2025, at St. Mary Visitation Church in Iowa City, Iowa. The Mass was celebrated by Fr. Andrew Rauenbuehler and Fr. John Seba, formerly assigned to Laverna's home parish in Ames.

Additionally, on July 24 at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, 2210 Lincoln Way, Ames, Iowa; starting with their daily noon Mass dedicated to Laverna, there was a Rite of Committal in the Columbarium located behind the church on the south side of the building.

Reiman Gardens will graciously welcome attendees to walk the grounds where Laverna devoted so much of her time. The family requests in lieu of flowers, memorial gift be directed to Reiman Gardens in Laverna's name. We hope you can join us for any of these events, even though we know it is a very busy Martha world.

Laverna was born in the hospital at Ft. Madison but lived in nearby St. Paul until moving to Hampton and later to Williams where soon Holtkamp Farms put down roots. Her entire childhood was in rural Iowa. She was the eldest of 10 children and worked on the family farm, as all the siblings did while growing up. It was there, undoubtedly, where her incredible work ethic was ingrained. She then began teaching right at 17 years of age right after high school in a one-room schoolhouse including grades K-12.

She continued her education with summer, evening and weekend classes eventually earning her bachelors and masters degrees from Drake. She taught for 32 years in Iowa, where among her many accomplishments she started an award-winning ECO program for junior high students incorporating and collaborating all disciplines into a conservation-minded weeklong immersion trip to the Ledges in Boone, Iowa.

Upon moving to Walker – a lakeside tourist spot – she opened a summer bookstore called Inward Bound. A play on words with Outward Bound, an outdoor education program for young people. Of course, this was in addition to another 10 years of teaching, this time in elementary school. One of those years they held a parade which had her perched in an open convertible with a banner declaring "Teacher of the Year!" Yes, she was that teacher. The one who came in early and stayed late. She always had time for her students and was, of course, everyone's favorite – colleagues and students alike.

She is survived by her daughter, Cindy Anderson (Frank) of Brevard, NC, and children David (Leah and Sweet Baby James) and Tori; son Alan Larson of Iowa City; daughter Jan Rayburn (Ralph) of Miami Shores, and children Calvin and Jensen; her remaining siblings, Larry Holtkamp (Janet) and Dan Holtkamp (Pam) of Leawood, Kan.; sister-in-law Jan Holtkamp of Williams, Iowa; and a bevy of nieces and nephews and their children as well. All of whom Laverna was dedicated to as the remaining matriarch of the Holtkamp Family.

Online condolences may be left to the family at www.lensingfuneral.com