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LaVonne Lilly Brugger Nicholas

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LaVonne Lilly Brugger Nicholas

Birth	:	21 Apr 1920 Tulare, Spink County, South Dakota, USA
Death	:	14 Nov 2017 Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, South Dakota, USA
Burial	:	Mount Hope Cemetery, Watertown, Codington County, USA
Coordinate	:	44.9164009, -97.0986023
Description	:	LaVonne Nicholas of Huron, SD and formerly of Watertown, SD passed away on November 14, 2017, peacefully in her sleep. A memorial service to celebrate her life will be at 11:00 AM Saturday, November 18, at the Kuhler Funeral Home. Burial will be at 3:00 PM Saturday in the Mt. Hope Cemetery at Watertown. Visitation will be from 1:00 to 7:00 PM, Friday, November 17, at the Kuhler Funeral Home, with family present from 5:00 to 7:00 PM Friday evening. She was born LaVonne Lilly Brugger in Tulare, SD on April 21, 1920, to her parents George and Lillie.... Read More	LaVonne Nicholas of Huron, SD and formerly of Watertown, SD passed away on November 14, 2017, peacefully in her sleep. A memorial service to celebrate her life will be at 11:00 AM Saturday, November 18, at the Kuhler Funeral Home. Burial will be at 3:00 PM Saturday in the Mt. Hope Cemetery at Watertown. Visitation will be from 1:00 to 7:00 PM, Friday, November 17, at the Kuhler Funeral Home, with family present from 5:00 to 7:00 PM Friday evening. She was born LaVonne Lilly Brugger in Tulare, SD on April 21, 1920, to her parents George and Lillie. The fourth of six children she had wonderful memories of a loving and musical family. She learned at an early age to play piano, and as a teenager she was the church pianist and organist. At the age of 15 she entered a contest to compose a school song for Tulare High School. LaVonne won, and the song endured until consolidation of schools. LaVonne aspired to do two things in life: Become a teacher or to rock babies in the hospital nursery. As her brothers were inclined to teaching, LaVonne gravitated toward becoming an elementary teacher. She attended Northern Normal School for teachers in Aberdeen where she received a teaching certificate. Later the school was renamed Northern State University where she graduated with her Bachelor’s Degree. For the majority of her years she served as a first grade teacher in the Watertown School District nurturing the lives of hundreds of children. Education was the highest priority in her family, and her brothers pursued Master’s Degrees, Doctorate of Education, and a Juris Doctorate from George Washington University School of Law. LaVonne met Oliver J. Nicholas (Nick) at a dance in Redfield, SD in October of 1941. She loved the fact that he was a great dancer. They were married on June 14, 1942, at the Methodist Church in Canton, SD. LaVonne and Nick’s first child was daughter Dianne, and their second child was son George. Their marriage lasted a lifetime of 74 years. Their love of dance and music was a mutual bond which they shared with their closest friends in Watertown every Saturday night at Sunnyside Inn on Lake Kampeska. This passion for music and dancing was passed on to all of their family. They were also certified dance instructors who taught in both South Dakota and Minnesota, and they traveled anywhere in the U.S. where they could dance, traveling as far away as Hawaii to dance to Guy Lombardo’s Royal Canadians Orchestra directed by their personal friend Al Pierson. LaVonne and Nick were faithful members of the Watertown Congregational Church where she taught Sunday school and was a member of the adult choir. In 1981 she and her husband moved to Huron to be near their two children and their families. Lavonne became very active in the Huron community. LaVonne was President of the Huron Symphony Board and had the honor of introducing Bob Hope at the S.D. State Fair. She loved to sing and was a member of the Tonettes and the First Presbyterian Church Choir. LaVonne was esteemed by her family for her culinary skills, her unlimited generosity, her compassion for the needy, and her divine loyalty to her family and friends. She was a devoted wife, loving mother and grandmother, and a friend to many. The void left in our hearts is as incomprehensible as the waning stars of the universe. She was preceded in death by her husband Nick, her parents, and brothers Vernon, Walter, Orville, and Duane. LaVonne is survived by her daughter, Dianne (Ivar) Kaardal of Sioux Falls; son, Dr. George (Barbara) Nicholas of Huron; grandchildren, Troy (Karen) Leonard, Sioux Falls, Kari (Mazen) Haj-Hussein, Colorado Springs, CO, Drs. Christie (Andrew) Hentzen, Wichita, KS, Drs. Robert (Elizabeth) Nicholas, Albuquerque, NM, and Michael Nicholas, Medellín, Colombia; great-grandchildren, Christopher Leonard, Andra (Chad) Husman, Graham Leonard, Ava Leonard, Kaylor Scudder, Phillip Scudder, Malek Adair, Leyla (Tyler) Sparks, and Charlize Hentzen; great great-grandchildren, Salea Sparks and Harrison Husman; one brother, Virgil (Avis) Brugger of Rapid City; and numerous nieces and nephews. - Kuhler Funeral Home

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is LaVonne Lilly Brugger Nicholas's memorial?
LaVonne Lilly Brugger Nicholas's memorial is located at: Mount Hope Cemetery, Watertown, Codington County, USA.
When did LaVonne Lilly Brugger Nicholas death?
LaVonne Lilly Brugger Nicholas death on 14 Nov 2017 in Sioux Falls, Minnehaha County, South Dakota, USA
Where are the coordinates of the LaVonne Lilly Brugger Nicholas's memorial?
Latitude: 44.9164009
Longitude: -97.0986023

Family Members:

Parent

Lillie Emma Zibell Brugger

(1888 - 1973)

Spouse

Oliver John “Nick or OJ” Nicholas

(1918 - 2016)

Siblings

Walter Earl Brugger

(1911 - 1994)

Virgil George Brugger

(1922 - 2018)

Duane D. Brugger

(1933 - 1997)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Mount Hope Cemetery
Watertown, Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 44.9164009, -97.0986023

2. Saint Marys Cemetery
Watertown, Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 44.8908005, -97.0836029

3. Mother of God Monastery Cemetery
Watertown, Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 44.8678000, -97.1181000

4. Schneiders Grove Cemetery
Kranzburg Township, Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 44.8786968, -96.9435766

5. Spooner Children Graves
Kranzburg Township, Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 44.8786968, -96.9435766

6. Saint Josephs Cemetery
Waverly, Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 44.9963989, -96.9697037

7. Saint Johns Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
Rauville, Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 45.0432053, -97.0844650

8. Holy Rosary Cemetery
Kranzburg, Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 44.8946991, -96.9182968

9. Kampeska Cemetery
Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 44.8703003, -97.2778015

10. Saint Peter's Catholic Cemetery
Grover, Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 44.8118500, -97.2690600

11. Emmanuel Lutheran Cemetery
Hamlin County, USA
Coordinate: 44.8039017, -97.2671967

12. Esterly Cemetery
Florence, Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 45.0564003, -97.2281036

13. Oxford Cemetery
Thomas, Hamlin County, USA
Coordinate: 44.7607900, -97.2134400

14. Saint Lukes Lutheran Cemetery
Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 45.0926094, -97.0336533

15. Goodwin Cemetery
Goodwin, Deuel County, USA
Coordinate: 44.8792000, -96.8242035

16. Castlewood Cemetery
Castlewood, Hamlin County, USA
Coordinate: 44.7183200, -97.0264800

17. Bemis Cemetery
Deuel County, USA
Coordinate: 44.8333015, -96.8343964

18. Saint Johns Catholic Cemetery
Castlewood, Hamlin County, USA
Coordinate: 44.7176575, -97.0239113

19. Klix Cemetery
Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 45.1250000, -97.0465500

20. Christian Reformed Cemetery
Bemis, Deuel County, USA
Coordinate: 44.7757000, -96.8751000

21. Troy Cemetery
Grant County, USA
Coordinate: 45.0513992, -96.8613968

22. Evergreen Presbyterian Cemetery
Deuel County, USA
Coordinate: 44.7747002, -96.8657990

23. Larson Cemetery
Deuel County, USA
Coordinate: 44.9347000, -96.7893982

24. Lakeview Cemetery
South Shore, Codington County, USA
Coordinate: 45.1065950, -96.9335260