Lavonne Winters
Lavonne Therese (Kelly) Winters, of Canby, and known by many former Canby High School students, faculty, and staff as “Frau,” passed away peacefully on November 12, 2021, at Benedictine-St. Gertrude’s in Shakopee, MN, where she had been living for the past five years. Friends can visit with Lavonne’s family at the Houseman Funeral Home, Birk Chapel in Canby from 5- 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 24. Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Canby on Friday, Nov. 26, with visitation at 1 p.m. and mass at 2 p.m. Burial will be in the Canby City Cemetery. Dress comfortably with a dash of green in honor of Lavonne’s Irish heritage.
Lavonne was born in Olivia, MN, on May 25, 1943, the youngest of Leo and Johanna (Haubrich) Kelly’s “seven wonders of the world.” From her first moment to her last, she was a creative, resilient, and witty Jill-of-All-Trades who loved nothing more than gatherings where she could hear or tell a good story.
Lavonne taught English/theater/language arts/media/German, coached the speech team, directed plays, and oversaw the prom at Canby High School. Until recently, she was an active member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Canby. She played numerous musical instruments, sewed patterns from her own designs, ran her own ceramics business, served as a 4-H leader, researched family history, and shared in the work of running a family farm with her husband, Jim.
She is survived by her children and grandchildren, Kelly (husband Tad) of Taos, NM, Jami (husband, Carl, and children, Keri and Erin) of Rosemount, MN, and Tim (wife, Jill, and children, Allison, James, and Jacob) of Canby, MN; siblings, Mary, JoAnn, Tom, Kathy, and Bill; and many in-laws, nieces, and nephews too numerous to list, but not forgotten.
She is predeceased by her husband, Jim; parents, Leo and Johanna; brother, Bob; brothers-in-law, Orville, Ken, Al, and Roy; and sister-in-law, Diana.
The family is establishing a scholarship in Lavonne’s name through Canby’s Blue and Gold Foundation. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made online in tribute to her via this link to the Southwest Initiative or through checks made out to the “Blue and Gold Foundation.” https://swifoundation.tfaforms.net/7tfa_2256=a0y36000001tY8zAAE&tfa_...
Cards may be sent to the family at 2792 210th Street, Canby, MN 56220