Lavonne (Deborah) Hammans

LaVonne was born on May 5, 1954, to Barbara and Milton Young in Osceola, Iowa. As a child she spent many of her formative years living in Alaska and Pennsylvania before coming to Iowa, where she often mentioned her longing for the mountains and more snow. LaVonne graduated from Westmar College in 1976 with a BA in education which allowed her to pursue her passion of teaching for many years. On June 11,1977, she married Paul Hammans, the love of her life, and together they began their 42-year-long adventure. In Iowa, she taught for a time at Open Bible College, Winterset, and Murray, and in Texas she had the opportunity to teach elementary students for the first time, discovering her love for working with children. Using her personal struggle with learning disabilities and dyslexia she was able to help students, who struggled with similar hurdles, overcome them and excel. When LaVonne and Paul were in the ministry for several years, LaVonne’s compassion and drive to help others was always apparent. She was always ready and willing to take someone under her wing, to help and encourage, and to provide a listening ear and support. Unsurprisingly, this meant that in addition to their own children, Joshua and Alyce, LaVonne and Paul would often take in others in need of a loving home. LaVonne’s motto, even during the holidays, was that there was always room for one more place-setting at the table. Outside of work, LaVonne was a homemaker who loved cooking and baking and spending time with her family and her two children. Anyone who knew her quickly learned that she loved to entertain and create lavish feasts that she would present along with a favorite set of dinnerware and antique silver. Cooking to her was an art form, and food was an act of love that you gave to people you cared about. Holidays often featured tables overflowing with tasty dishes, surrounded by friends and family alike. Guests were always welcome, and impromptu trips or visits were the spice of life. LaVonne was a true renaissance woman—a phenomenal writer and teacher, a gifted artist, a fantastic cook—to name a few—and a compassionate and empathetic soul with a creative heart. Loved by many, the grief upon her diagnosis in 2006 was acute. But, just as with so many challenges she had faced in life, LaVonne faced her cancer with a courage, grace, determination, and faith that few of us could hope to emulate. During her battle lasting 13 years and 10 months, she was an inspiration, a comfort, and a pillar of strength to so many others. In June 2018, her daughter Alyce was able to take her and Paul on her mom’s lifelong “bucket list” trip to Scotland. For nearly two weeks LaVonne hiked and explored and wrung every drop of enjoyment out of the trip, relishing the sights and sounds and scents of a country that had called to her heart since she was a little girl. A little over a year later, on October 22nd, 2019, after a long, arduous battle, LaVonne left behind the pain and suffering of her worldly body and found peace. Though saddened by her loss, loved ones can find solace in the fact that she is free and now in the loving arms of her Father in Heaven. LaVonne is survived by her mother, Barabara (Siefkas) Houston; step-father, Raymond Horner; husband, Paul Hammans; children, Joshua (Kimberly) Hammans and Alyce Howard; brothers, Daniel Horner and Paul Rohr; and grandchildren, Hunter, Adelyn, and Logan. She was preceded in death by her father, Milton Young, her stepfather, David Houston, and her sister, Pamela Young. For information regarding the celebration of life memorial service for LaVonne, please email the family at alycelrkhoward@gmail.com. Memorials given to the family can be written out to/directed to Paul Hammans. The family plans to send a lump sum donation in LaVonne's name to St. Joseph's Indian School—a school and a cause that was near and dear to LaVonne's heart for many years.