LaVon Crane LaSalle Obituary (1911 - 2006)

LaVon Crane LaSalle passed away peacefully at age 94 February 6, 2006, in Santa Rosa, California. The youngest and last living of 11 children, LaVon was born June 22, 1911, to Heber S. and Mary Jane Miller Crane from Riverton, Utah. Her childhood home was moved next to the Riverton, Cemetery and retains the name “Crane” in its name and present role as an art museum. She graduated from the University of Utah in 1934 and remained a lifelong member of and regular contributor to Kappa Kappa Gamma Sorority until her death. She married Fred K. Hartenstein September 10, 1934; divorced in 1946. LaVon worked many years for the Bunge Corporation, an import/export firm in San Francisco. She married Anthony (Tony) LaSalle August 17, 1963, in Carmel, California. Together, they designed and built their own home in Santa Rosa and enjoyed golfing, square dancing (the activity that brought them together), and traveling to Europe many times. LaVon was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and siblings: Heber, Vera, Elsie Carpenter, Cecil, Erma Battison, Milt, Olive Smith, Ferril Pierpont, Alta Stewart, and Vilate Shaffer. Of the people she leaves behind who visited, called, and wrote her often; loved her dearly; and will miss her sense of humor and lilting laugh, there are her nieces Annette Smith Lund, Mesquite, Nevada; Pat Crane Weimer, Torrence, CA; Gerri Crane, Novato, CA; Kay Pierpont Kane, Sacramento, CA; Sally Shaffer Russo, Houston, TX, and Carolyn Smith Brown, Salt Lake City, UT. Gerri, Kay, and Carolyn were privileged to help LaVon in many different ways as she made the most difficult and last transitions in her life with a quiet, calm dignity. Additionally, she is survived by many other special nieces and nephews from the Crane family. Memorial Services will be held in Santa Rosa February 13, 2006, and Dedication of the Grave will be at noon February 17, 2006, followed by interment in the Riverton City Cemetery in Utah. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent to the Riverton Art Museum at the Crane House, 1640 West 13200 South, Riverton, UT, 84065.