Laverne Eckley

Laverne R. Eckley, 85, Flower Mound, Texas, died October. 12, 2022, after a lengthy illness. Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, October 21, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Mandan, North Dakota. Burial will follow at 1:00 p.m. at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, south of Mandan, joining her husband John in final resting.

Visitation will be held Thursday, October 20 from 5 to 7 PM at Weigel Funeral Home, Mandan, with a Parish Rosary and Vigil at 7 PM.

Laverne was born Jan. 5, 1937, to Jack and Rose (Knoll) Leingang in St. Anthony, North Dakota. She was educated at the St. Anthony school and Mandan High School where she played in the band and served as homecoming queen her senior year.  Upon graduating, Laverne was employed as a stewardess for Braniff Airways.

Laverne married John J. Eckley in St. Anthony on October 25, 1958. As an Air Force spouse, Laverne was active in the Officer’s Wives Club coordinating meetings and social events while stationed in Enid, Oklahoma, Huntingdon, England and Big Spring, Texas.

Laverne also enjoyed a fulfilling career as a teacher with St. Mary’s Episcopal School in Big Spring, Texas.  During this time, she also furthered her education earning a degree from the University of Oklahoma.  Throughout the 50 years Laverne resided in Big Spring she was very active in the Mother’s Club and other volunteer activities with both Immaculate Heart of Mary and Sacred Heart parishes.

Those who know Laverne will testify that her greatest calling in this life was the care and devotion to her husband John while she served as his primary care giver for over 25 years as he struggled with a lengthy illness and incapacitation.

In addition to John, her husband of over 50 years, Laverne was preceded in death by a son, Gerald; her parents Jack and Rose Leingang, and her mother-in-law and father-in-law, Harvey and Dorothy Eckley.

Laverne will be deeply missed by her family which includes her son, John “Michael” and daughter-in-law Marianne, Lewisville, Texas; her grandchildren, Michael, Lewisville, Texas, Adrianna, Fort Worth, Texas, and Katerina, Fort Worth, Texas; her great grandchildren Taylor, Remington, Everleigh, Lucas and Emma; her sisters, Judy (Gary) Becker, Mandan, Sandy Leingang, Mandan, Cindy (Tim) Davenport, Bismarck; her brother Ken Leingang, North St. Paul, Minnesota; and her sisters-in-law Rosemary (David) Anderson, Minneapolis, Minn. and Marietta Odell, Cottonwood, Arizona. She was also blessed with several nephews, nieces, grand nephews and grand-nieces.

Memorials in lieu of or in addition to flowers may be directed to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, the North Dakota Veteran’s Cemetery, or Wreaths Across America.