LaVerne Helen Hobratsch Domel passed from this life and into her eternal home on August 12, 2020 in Fort Worth, Texas, at age 83, from COVID pneumonia complicated by Alzheimer’s disease. She is greatly missed. LaVerne was born on September 10, 1936 in Walburg, Texas, the youngest of five children. Zion Lutheran Church in Walburg was where LaVerne was baptized and confirmed, where she attended private church school for grades 1-8, where she married, and where she is buried.
LaVerne graduated in 1954 from Georgetown High School, where she was very active. She married her high school sweetheart, Edwin A. Domel on June 19, 1955. The young couple initially remained in Georgetown, where their first child was born. They then moved to Richardson, Texas, where they had their second child and third child. LaVerne and Ed were two of the founding members of Messiah Lutheran Church in Richardson. Ed unexpectedly died from a cerebral aneurysm on Christmas Day 1970. LaVerne, widowed at age 34 with three children, ages 13, 12, and 7, went on to raise them as a single parent and sent them to college; they later became a lawyer, PhD, and PhD, respectively. She graduated with her own bachelor’s degree at age 62.
LaVerne had many passions and a strong sense of loyalty to her family and community. She loved traveling and visiting family, and hobbies like genealogy, square-dancing, water aerobics, gardening, and causes such as protecting the environment through recycling and composting. She volunteered and was a leader in her church and in her community.
LaVerne was preceded in death by her parents, Herman Theodore Hobratsch and Emilie Ester [Kalmbach] Hobratsch, and her husband, Edwin Domel, father of her children. She is survived by her three children, Lori Domel (Cameron White) of Friendswood TX; Suzanne Baxter (David) of Lexington SC; and Neal Domel (Karen) of Aledo TX; one grandson Dylan Domel-White (fiance’ Daniella Heysquierdo) of Nashville TN; one brother Raymond Hobratsch of Houston TX; and numerous loving nieces and a nephew and their extended families.
Visitation was Friday, August 28, from 6pm to 8pm at The Gabriels Funeral Home in Georgetown, Texas. A graveside service was held on Saturday, August 29, at 10am at Zion Lutheran Church cemetery in Walburg, followed by a memorial service at 11am at Zion Lutheran Church. The memorial service was recorded for remote viewing later.
Memorials may be made to any of the following:
1) Texas Wendish Heritage Society (https://texaswendish.org/society/)
2) Vote Smart (https://justfacts.votesmart.org/)
3) Water Mission (https://www.watermission.org/)
4) Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research (https://www.alzinfo.org/).
