, 97, of Valley City, ND, passed away on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at Sanford Health in Fargo, ND.
A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, Aug. 7, at Grace Free Lutheran Church in Valley City. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday morning.
Interment will be in Oakwood Cemetery in Lisbon, ND.
A livestream of LaVerne’s service and an online guestbook will be available at www.lerudmathias.com.
Traditions Funeral Services of Valley City has been entrusted with LaVerne’s funeral arrangements.
LaVerne Joyce Franson, the daughter of Nels and Agnes (Piez) Franson, was born Jan. 14, 1929, in Lisbon, ND. LaVerne grew up and attended school in the Lisbon area.
After completing her education, she married Glyndon Dewey Leach on Sept. 8, 1945, in Britton, SD. The couple then moved to Valley City, where she worked as a beautician for many years. Dewey passed away on Dec. 16, 1992.
LaVerne loved spending time outdoors, where she was an avid gardener and devoted countless hours to yard work. She also enjoyed all kinds of needlework.
LaVerne is survived by her daughter, Diane (Gary) Swailes; three grandsons, Chris Swailes, Kary (Jessica) Leach and Travis (Keri) Leach; seven great-grandchildren, Evan, Nolan and Avery Swailes, Conner, Wyatt and Kaitlin Leach, and Cameron Mjoness; nephews Russell, Raymond, Gary, Charles and Clayton Hill; nieces Lois Roberts, Carol Jean Swanson and Wendy Sickles; and her cherished neighbors, Dorothy Hegdahl and Lori Glaser.
LaVerne was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Glyndon Dewey Leach; her son, Glyndon Raymond Leach; her brothers, Art, Melvin, Ed, Ralph and Virgil Franson; her sisters, Mildred Howey and Margaret Ott; and her niece, Judy Kay Yaeger.
