LaVerne Skjefte Ptacek

Published November 06, 2020 at 4:14 PM

LaVerne Lucille Delores Skjefte Ptacek of Cogswell, ND was born to Sever & Martha Skjefte on February 29, 1928 near Dunn Center, ND in Clay Butte Township of Dunn County. Welcoming LaVerne into the family included her siblings Sylvia, Cyril, Adeline, Gordon, Ruben/Ruby, Elton & Wallace. Her parents were farmers/ranchers & the family moved to a farm NW of Killdeer, ND at the foot of the Killdeer Mountains in 1933. In 1937 they moved to a farmstead SE of Pillsbury, ND. In the fall of 1943 her dad purchased the Glover Ranch & the family moved to Glover, ND in the spring of 1944. LaVerne completed her 10th year of school in Pillsbury, ND. LaVerne married her sweetheart & best friend, Lloyd Cerny Ptacek on October 6, 1946 at The American Lutheran Church, later known as Grace Lutheran Church, in Oakes, ND. LaVerne was especially proud of her Norwegian/German heritage & enjoyed visiting both Norway & Germany with her family. LaVerne also enjoyed playing games, cards & Yahtzee with friends & family.

LaVerne was active in the Cogswell United Methodist Church including teaching Sunday School & the Women’s Society of Christian Service. The majority of her time was spent corralling her young active boys. She later joined Grace Lutheran Church in Oakes. LaVerne was an excellent baker & cook, always preparing feasts for her family, including lutefisk, lefse, kolaches & kuchen. She produced large gardens & raised chickens/geese to help feed her family. Many family gatherings were hosted on the farm NW of Cogswell. She always enjoyed the anticipation of visitors & often said that if the dishcloth dropped on the floor it meant company was coming, & if the silverware fell on the floor she could tell what direction the company was coming from. LaVerne was an avid coffee drinker, often misplacing her coffee cup throughout the house.

Born into this union were Lanny Ray on March 28, 1948; Ardell Keith, Jan 23, 1951; Clinton Dennis, Feb 7, 1953; Randolph Wayne, June 21, 1954; Robert Boyd, Dec 15, 1955; Brent Marlo, May 8, 1964 & Marlene Kay, July 15, 1965.

LaVerne was preceded in death by husband Lloyd & son Clinton Dennis, her parents, all siblings including sister Mabel, Sylvia’s twin. LaVerne passed away from Covid complications on November 5, 2020 at the Oakes Community Hospital/CHI in Oakes, ND.

She is survived by Lanny (Cindy) Ptacek, Austin, TX; Ardell (Lavonne) Ptacek, Oakes, ND; Randy (Gaylene) Ptacek, Cogswell, ND; Robert (Bonnie) Ptacek, Cogswell, ND; Brent (Toni) Ptacek, Oakes, ND & Marlene Ptacek, West Fargo, ND; and also her sister-in-law Margaret Ptacek, Valley City, ND. LaVerne was a loving & proud Grandma of her 14 grandkids & spouses and 15 great-grandkids. LaVerne is also survived by her foreign exchange son Chris Pabst of Germany & daughter Bente Hannestad of Norway, as well as numerous nieces & nephews.

Both Lloyd & LaVerne will be dearly missed by their families & we sincerely appreciate your thoughts & prayers at this most difficult time.

A private funeral with children and spouses only will be held on Monday, November 9, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. at Dahlstrom Funeral Home in Oakes. LaVerne’s service will be live streamed for the public on the Dahlstrom Funeral Home website www.dahlstromfuneralhome.com on her obituary page. Burial will be at the Oakes View Cemetery.

Memorials may be given to the Oakes Ambulance Service.