LaVonne Grace Carter

LaVonne Grace Carter, 80, of Colton, Wash., passed away October 21, 2024, at her Colton home.

LaVonne was born May 31, 1944, at Detroit Lakes, Minn., to Carl & Elsie (Mattfeld) Plackner. She grew up in the countryside on the outskirts of Bovey, Minn., where she attended school and graduated from high school. Following graduation LaVonne attended college, receiving her bachelor's degree in elementary education from Bemidji State University in Bemidji, Minn. She accepted her first teaching job in Ely, Minn., and taught for several years before deciding to move to Leadville, Colo., where she taught various elementary grades.

LaVonne married George Carter in 1970 and decided in 1976, upon the birth of her first child, to put teaching on hold and stay home to raise her children. They returned to Minnesota in 1981. When both children had finished high school, LaVonne returned to teaching by means of substitute teaching and paraprofessional work. LaVonne enjoyed her teaching career always putting her students first. LaVonne and George divorced in 2004 with LaVonne continuing to live, work, and retire from teaching in Brooten, Minn. She enjoyed her close-knit church community in nearby Glenwood, Minn., until moving to Colton, Wash., in 2021 to live with her son and family.

She loved time with family and enjoyed attending her grandchildren's many activities. She was satisfied with simple living and was extremely frugal throughout her life. LaVonne was a woman of very strong faith and attended Hills Church in Pullman, Wash., during her years in Colton.

She is survived by her two sons Dustin (Liz) Carter of Colton, Wash., and Shane Carter (Elizabeth Bright) of Linden, Vir ,; two brothers, Terry and Michael Plackner; her sister, Kathy Eck; and her four grandchildren, Zakiah, Kamden, Jeremiah and Bradley. She was preceded in death by her parents and sister Caryl Larsen.

The memorial service will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2024, at Corbeill Funeral Home, Pullman, WA. Online condolences may be sent to http://www.corbeillfuneralhomes.com