LaVerne Skalko

Funeral service 11 am Wednesday, April 24, 2019 at the Community United Methodist Church in Gilbert with CLM Mary Lou Sixberry and Pastor Terry Tilton officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.  Interment will be in the Gilbert Cemetery.  Arrangements are by the Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Gilbert. LaVerne "Lovey" Skalko, 88, of Sparta passed Friday, April 19, 2019 at St Michael’s Health and Rehabilitation Center in Virginia. LaVerne was born January 10, 1931 in Biwabik. The daughter of John and Elsie Leif, she grew up in Gilbert.  She graduated from Gilbert High School.  On October 29, 1949 she married John Skalko. They raised their four children in Sparta. Lovey worked at the Cluett-Peabody Shirt Factory, Ketola’s Department Store and as Chief Teller and Supervisor at Norwest Bank in Virginia. LaVerne was a member of the Gilbert Community Methodist Church and was also active in the Eva Kieran Circle and the Gilbert VFW Auxiliary. She enjoyed baking, crafting, picnics, and shopping with her friends.   Out of these activities she enjoyed her family and friends the most.  Over the years Lovey and Johnny attended over 500 of their children’s and grandchildren’s athletic events.  You could always find them sitting in the same seats cheering their kids on to victory. LaVerne is survived by her children: Dave (Vicki) Skalko, James (Deborah) Skalko, John (Rachael) Skalko and daughter Shari (Steve) Jones; grandchildren: Kelly (Kyle) Saltzman, Courtney Colby, Mark (Jeni) Skalko, Niki (Robert) Boyer, Ryan Skalko, Mary Beth (Jeff) Lawrence, Paul (Mallory) Skalko, Noelle (Brendan) Holohan, Karen (Jeremy)  Moberg, Jennifer (Jerod) Klava, Sean (Jen) Karpowich, and Chad Jones; great grandchildren: Kaeden, Connor, Jake, Brianna, Madison, Audrey, Ruby, Jonah, Henry, Everette, Evelyn, Maila and Everlee, Jonah, Maude, Wyatt, Emmy, Orla, Finn, and Leo; siblings: Yvonne (Frank) Lopp, Robert (Charlotte) Leif, and Dana (Milton) Sundeen. She was proceeded in death by her husband, John; parents; sisters Kathleen, Sandra, and brothers Rick and infant brother Royden at infancy. LaVerne’s family would like to thank Edgewood Vista, St. Michael’s and Essentia Hospice for the wonderful care they provided our mother.