LaVerne Lunsford

April 17, 1923 - November 12, 2017

LaVerne (Colson) Lunsford, 94, died Sunday, November 12, 2017 at Medicine Lodge Memorial Hospital Intermediate Care. She was born on April 17, 1923 with her twin sister, LaFerne, on the family farm eight miles northwest of Kiowa, Kansas in Barber County to William Edward Colson and Maggie Maude (Vannaman) Colson where she was raised with five brothers and three sisters. She attended Mound Center School through the 8th grade. She worked on the family farm and for neighbors until she married Everett Franklin Lunsford on her 18th birthday on April 17, 1941 at the Harper County Courthouse in Anthony, KS. Making their home in Medicine Lodge, they raised three children: Bonnie Jean, Donald Franklin, and Dennis Wayne. She was a homemaker and seamstress. She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 54 years, Everett “Pete” in 1995; five brothers, Thomas Edward Colson, John Willis Colson, Ray LeRoy “Bud” Colson, Wilbur Donald Colson, and Lawrence Everett Colson; two sisters, Irene May (Colson) Frederick and twin sister, LaFerne (Colson) Anderson. Surviving are one daughter, Bonnie and husband Gordon Heath of Attica, KS; two sons, Don and wife Shelly Lunsford of Wichita, KS and Dennis and wife Gayle Lunsford of Medicine Lodge, KS; one sister, Mary Alice (Colson) Gillum of Salina, KS; Ten grandchildren, Mike Heath of Soldotna, AK, Cheri (Heath) and husband Bret Ricke and Toni (Heath) and husband Eric Dark of Attica, KS, Scott Lunsford and Jeffrey Lunsford of Wichita, KS, Bradley and wife Stacey Lunsford of Hesston, KS, Sarah and husband Chad Rafferty of Latrobe, PA, Steve and wife Sheila Lunsford of Pratt, KS, Nathan Wright of Salina, KS and Nikki and husband Jared Allen of Conway Springs, KS; Eighteen great-grandchildren, Ryan, Sam and Ava Dark, Brittany, Brooke, Brady, Brenna, and Baylee Ricke of Attica, KS, Daniel Heath of Soldotna, AK, Miles Brungardt and Kendra, Bristol and Beau Rafferty of Latrobe, PA, Dru and Dyllan Lunsford of Pratt, KS, Coyce Cloutier of Hesston, KS, and Jordy and Andi Allen of Conway Springs, KS; one great-great-grandson, Bronson Cole Hilton of Attica, KS; two sisters-in-law, Bessie Colson of Lebanon, MO and Pam Colson-Gottstein of Baldwin City, KS; a host of very special nieces, nephews, and many dear friends. Visitation will be on Wednesday, November15, 2017 from Noon to 7:00 p.m., with family receiving friends from 6-7 p.m., at Larrison Funeral Home, 120 E. Lincoln, Medicine Lodge, KS 67104. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, November 16, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the First Christian Church, Medicine Lodge, KS with Pastor Tom Walters officiating. Burial will be at the Highland Cemetery, Medicine Lodge, KS. Memorials may be made to the Medicine Lodge Memorial Hospital Intermediate Care or the First Christian Church, Medicine Lodge, KS in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be left at www.larrisonmortuary.com.