LaVerne Hand

LaVerne Hand, age 89, formerly of Tama, passed away on the night of Friday, February 13th, at the Unity Point Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines.

Memorial services will be announced in the near future. For condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com. The Mitchell Family Funeral Home in Marshalltown is caring for LaVerne and his family.

Born on November 20th, 1936, in Marshalltown, he was the son of Floyd L. “Bud” and Elsie G. (Rohach) Hand. He attended the Tama High School.

On a bustling Saturday night in Tama when stores were open and people all gathered downtown, he met this beautiful young Shuler girl from Gilman. He caught her eye by whistling at her and the fact he was a great dresser. Well, the rest is history. The couple was united in marriage on August 9th, 1955, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Tama in a 9:00 a.m. ceremony.

The two made their home farming in the Malcom and Brooklyn communities in Poweshiek County until moving to a farm in Tama County in 1972, into the town of Tama in 1992 and West Des Moines in 2016. After they moved to Tama, he was employed by the South Tama School District as a bus driver and later did lawn mowing. LaVerne had farmed for a total of 42 years.

Mr. Hand was a member of St. Patrick’s parish in Tama, the Tama Eagle’s Lodge and Farm Bureau. He enjoyed fishing- especially his Canada trips- and mushroom hunting, but the most treasured times were with his family.

Left to cherish his memory are Helen, his loving wife of 70 years; daughter LaVerna (Don) Kellogg of Grinnell; grandchildren- Brandie (Greg) Cox and their children Carly, Lila and Jovie; Brock (Monica) Kellogg and their children Cora, Ivy and Summer; Derek Grayson, Dustin Grayson, Christopher (Brenda) Grayson and their children Avery and Layla, Elizabeth Grayson, Blake Hand, Larissa (Austin) Siemens and their children Olivia and Emma, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

In death, LaVerne rejoined his daughter, Lynn Grayson, son Tim Hand, parents Floyd and Elsie, and siblings- Floyd W. Hand, John Hand, Franklin Hand and Mildred Dolezal.