Lavena Marie (Stock) Marks, age 88, of Trenton, Nebraska, passed away on October 16th, 2020 at Prairie Senior Living Complex in Colby, Kansas, after battling dementia and the covid-19 virus.
Lavena Marie was born January 15, 1932, the youngest child of William "Bill" Winton Stock and Erma Fern (Matson) Stock. She was born and raised on the family farm south of Culbertson, Nebraska on the Driftwood Creek attending Sunday school and Church at the Stone Church north of where they lived. From there she attended the Church of God in Trenton.
She started school, attending District #3 when she turned four, attending through the 8th grade. Lavena then attended Culbertson High School, graduating in 1949. From there she began her 37 year teaching career following in her sister’s footsteps.
She taught under the direction of Ida May Marshall for one year in each District #4, Dike, Hayes Center, Nebraska and two years at Cornell before marrying Russell Marks on September 19, 1954. They lived in Oceanside, California for about six weeks until Russell was discharged from the service. They moved back to Hitchcock County, Nebraska where Lavena taught in Districts #19, #12, #41, #16, 6th grade in Trenton, Beverly (in it’s last year), then Trenton Public School keeping an eye on her own three while also teaching kindergarten, music, 4th grade, and library before retiring in 1997.
Lavena and Russell had three children of their own besides a multitude of ‘her kids’ that Lavena taught. She loved to work in her yard and took pride in her many varieties of flowers and canning and freezing the fruit and vegetables raised in the yard. She loved to cook and bake for her family carrying on many family traditions from her Mother like the decorated birthday cakes and decorated sugar cookies for the holidays. She loved playing games and cards with different groups. She loved to travel, belonging to the Pioneers Campers Club as well as taking several family trips in their little Shasta camper. In later years she wore the finish off the kitchen table playing dominoes with Russ and anyone else that came along. She was actively involved in many Church of God activities with Bible school, teaching Sunday school, leading music, upkeep of the Church grounds, and providing meals for pastors and their families.
Preceding her in death were her parents; brother, Arthur Stock; sister-in-law, Dixie Stock; brothers-in-law, Don Fahrenbruch, Alton Marks, and Arthur Marks; and nephew, Russell Daugherty.
Lavena is survived by her husband of 66 years, Russell; daughter, Zita Rundel and husband, John; sons, Billy and Dennis Marks; grandsons, James Rundel of Boulder, Colorado and Schyler Marks and wife, Autumn, of Trenton; two great-grandchildren, Jaxxon and Thea Jae Marks; also, sister, Alta Fahrenbruch of Norton, Kansas; sisters-in-Law, Doris Daugherty and husband, Don, of Trenton and Alice Marks of Culbertson; brother-in-law, Willard Marks and wife, Janette, of McCook, Nebraska; and several nieces and nephews.
Graveside services will be held at 2:00 P.M (CT), on Wednesday afternoon, October 21, 2020 at the Grove Cemetery in Rural Culbertson, Nebraska. Viewing will be Tuesday, October 20, 2020 from 10:00 A.M. - 6:00 P.M. (CT) at Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel in McCook, Nebraska. The family will greet friends from 12:00 P.M. - 1:30 P.M. (CT) on Wednesday afternoon, October 21, 2020 at Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel at 607 Norris Avenue in McCook, Nebraska. A Celebration of Life Service will also be held at a later date. Memorials are suggested in her name to the Church of God in Trenton or the Alzheimer's Association Nebraska Chapter (www.alz.org/nebraska). Online condolences may be left at herrmannfh.com. Hermann-Jones Funeral Chapel in MCook, Nebraska is entrusted with arrangements.