LaVerne J. Weinfurter, 89, of the Town of Sherry died peacefully at home the morning of Sunday, February 8, 2026 with his family at his side under the care of Compassus Home Hospice.
A Funeral Service for LaVerne will be held at 11:00am Friday, February 13th at St. John Lutheran Church in Auburndale with Pastor Mark Lundgren officiating and Kimberly Lundgren providing the music. LaVerne’s grandsons will serve as pallbearers. Military Rites will be performed at the church entrance immediately after the funeral followed by a procession to Fairview Cemetery in Sherry for the burial. The family will receive relatives and friends for a time of visitation from 9am until time of service at the church Friday. Rembs Funeral Home is assisting the family.
LaVerne was born August 6, 1936 at the family home in Sherry to Ignatz and Anna (Altmann) Weinfurter. His mother died when he was almost 2, and his father when he was about 4. As such, he and several siblings were raised on the farm by their older brother Raymond. LaVerne attended Auburndale schools, graduating in 1954. That year he joined the Army and served in Germany as a mechanic and heavy equipment operator. He was honorably discharged in 1956. LaVerne then married the former Miss Joan DeBoer on September 24, 1960 at St. Kilian Catholic Church in Blenker.
LaVerne drove for Becker Trucking in his early years before finding work with the Port Edwards Paper Mill, retiring from there in 1996 after 36 years with the company. During this time LaVerne and Joan had taken over the family farm and had raised a dairy herd, converting to beef cattle after the children grew up and moved out. He was always a busy man with little time to spare. Even so, he became a little league coach when his children were young. Following his retirement, he excitedly rotated into being an active grandpa. During this time, he was a regular fan at all of his grandkids (and great-grandkids) athletic activities, and was known to have a standing reservation in the Auburndale bleachers. He spent countless hours playing board and card games with them, teaching patience and sportsmanship (as well as intricacies of the English language on occasion).
LaVerne and Joan were well travelled in their later years, having been to Alaska, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Hawaii, Branson, and Nashville to name a few places.
LaVerne is survived by his wife of 65 years, Joan and children: Gregory (Karleen) Weinfurter, Debra (Tom) Seidl, and Chad (Jo Ann) Weinfurter, all of Auburndale. He is further survived by 9 grandchildren: Kristen (Jason) Peirce, Mindy (Connor Brock) Plaszcz, Kayla (Johnny) Schultz, Alyssa (Tim) Quinlan, Tad (Jordyn Kramer) Guldan, Daniel (Miranda Baierl) Weinfurter, Caleb Weinfurter, Cooper (Isabelle) Weinfurter, and Caden Weinfurter; 17 great-grandchildren: Charlotte, Nolan, Griffin, and Violet Peirce, Oliver & Teddy Plaszcz, Josephine Brock, Franklin, Charlie, and Evelyn Schultz, Declan, Watson, and Foster Quinlan, Ezra & Bennett Guldan, and Peyton & Baya Weinfurter. He is also survived by daughter-in-law Susan Snortheim, and sisters-in-law Marlene & Donna DeBoer.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his son Gary Weinfurter, and the following siblings: Carl (Ethel) Weinfurter, Sylvester (Genevieve) Weinfurter, Hilary (Arlene) Weinfurter, Mary (Jim) Cummings, Raymond Weinfurter, Ida (Edward) Klawikowski, Rita (Frank) Kundinger, Evelyn (Emery) Dobbs, Helen (wid. James Pazurek) (Jerry) Capek, Bernice (Robert) Schroedel, Virgie (Joe) See, Violet (Peter) Weiler, infant Delores Weinfurter, and Leo (Lydia) Weinfurter. He is also predeceased by brothers-in-law John, Ronald, and William DeBoer.
Condolences may be sent online to www.rembsfh.com
Author: News Desk
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