Laverna L Broughton

Funeral Services for LaVerna L. Broughton will be held on Monday, October 3, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. at Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Holdrege, Nebraska with Reverend Kenton Birtell and Pastor Dan Wiese officiating. Interment will follow services at the Arapahoe Cemetery in Arapahoe, Nebraska.

LaVerna Louise Broughton, 92 years of age, of Holdrege, formerly of Holbrook, Nebraska, passed away on Monday, September 26, 2016 at the Christian Homes Care Community at Holdrege. LaVerna was born on January 8, 1924, to John and Leona (McCollum) Westerbeck, 10 miles north of Arapahoe, on the McCollum family farm, in Gosper County.  She was born during a snow storm and weighed only 2 pounds.  The family kept her warm in a shoebox on the old woodstove.  LaVerna spent her youth with brothers, Glen and Rolland Westerbeck. She attended many public schools in Central Nebraska area, as her father worked construction jobs.

On January 28, 1942, she was united in marriage to Charles O. Broughton in Smith Center, Kansas and to this union two children were born: David O. and Cynthia A. After Charles was discharged from the Army from serving in World War II, the family made their home in Blue Hill, Nebraska. In 1959, the family moved to Holbrook, where LaVerna focused on raising the children.   In 1970, she began her schooling to become a dietitian and later began working at the Arapahoe Care Home until her retirement after 15 years of service. Charles preceded her in death in January of 1989.  In 2002, she began to make her home in Holdrege, where she resided until her passing.

LaVerna was a devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and was lovingly referred to as, "Grandma B". She was a member of Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Holdrege. She will be missed by her family and friends.

Besides her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her son, David Broughton; great-granddaughter, Gracie DeVries; brothers: Rolland and Glen Westerbeck; and several aunts, uncles, and close family cousins.

LaVerna leaves to celebrate her life; her daughter, Cindy Marshall and her husband, Mick of Holdrege; daughter-in-law, Jeannie Broughton of Holdrege; granddaughter, Michelle DeVries and her husband, Joel of Kearney, Nebraska; grandsons: Mike Marshall and his wife, Elisa of Holdrege, Keith Broughton of Kearney and Kevin Broughton and his wife, Tiffany of Lincoln, Nebraska; six great-grandchildren; brother-in-law, Keith Gilbert; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at 1:00 p.m. the Mt. Calvary Lutheran Church in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in LaVerna's honor and will be designated at a later date.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.