Send Flowers LaVern J. Papka, age 96, of Watertown, SD, passed away on Tuesday, October 9, 2018 at Jenkins Living Center.

Funeral services will be at 9:00 a.m., Monday, October 15, 2018 at St. Martin's Lutheran Church in Watertown with Pastor Paul Janke officiating. Visitation will be from 3:00-6:00 p.m., Sunday, October 14, 2018 at St. Martin's Lutheran Church in Watertown. Burial will be at Mount Hope Cemetery, Watertown, SD.

Honorary Pallbearers will be LaVern's grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Active Pallbearers will be Darren Papka, Ryan Redlin, Jason Lambert, Dennis Papka, Lyle Rorvik and Bob Hallauer. LaVern Josephine Papka was born April 26, 1922 on a farm in Clark County to Frank and Louise (Sonnenschien) Hallauer. She was raised on a farm south of Wallace through the ninth grade. LaVern lived with her grandmother in Watertown while attending high school and graduated with the Class of 1939 at Watertown. Her one dislike of attending a large school was with the name LaVern. She was usually put in the boys classes and always told people LaVern without the "e" on the end was for a girl. She worked at JCPenney Company as a bookkeeper and assistant cashier until 1943.

On June 8, 1943 LaVern married Bernard K.N. Papka in Watertown, SD. They lived on various farms in the Florence, Wallace, Henry and Hazel areas until 1969 when they moved to Watertown. LaVern returned to JCPenney Company for a few years and was employed at Norwest Bank (now Wells Fargo) until retiring in 1987. She lovingly cared for her husband who suffered with Alzheimers disease until his death in 1984. LaVern moved to assisted living care in 2010 and spent the last year at Jenkins Living Center where she was admired and lovingly cared for.

LaVern was a member of St. Martins Lutheran Church in Watertown. She loved her flowers (especially roses and violets), dancing, playing cards, family history, stamp collecting, jigsaw puzzles and spending time with family and friends.

LaVern will be lovingly missed by her two sons, Jim (Penny) Papka and Roger Papka both of Watertown; two daughters, Donna (Darrell) Redlin of Florence and Julie (Paul) Lambert of Madison, SD; 13 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Evelyn Halonen and Phyllis Meseberg both of Watertown; one sister-in-law, Hazel Hallauer of Florence; and many nieces and nephews.

Preceding her in death are her husband, Bernard Papka; her parents, Frank and Louise Hallauer; three brothers, Max, Everett and Floyd Hallauer; a sister and brother-in-law, Charlotte and Hans Rorvik; two brothers-in-law, Ozzie Halonen and Roger Meseberg; a daughter-in-law, Mary Papka; and many of Bernard's family.