LaVern Ruth Herbel Grossman, age 95, of Grand Forks, North Dakota, went home to her Heavenly Father on April 25, 2023, at Woodside Village in Grand Forks. LaVern was born Jan. 9, 1928, in Cavalier County, the daughter of Reinhart and Mary Herbel, Alsen, ND. Her first 12 years of school she attended Alsen Public School. She then went to Minot State
University, where she received her Bachelor Degree in Education. She also did graduate work at the University of North Dakota.
She taught school for 40 years, 37 of them in North Dakota. The communities she taught in were Bentley, Leith, Sheyenne, and Granville. She also taught in Wibaux, MT, for 3 years. The last 30 years of her career she was on the staff at Devils Lake Public School, where she was the high school librarian. She completed the automation of the high school library, an accomplishment she was very proud of. LaVern was a member of the National Education Association, the North Dakota Education Association, and the North Dakota Library Association. She was a charter member of the Teachers Hall of Fame at Devils Lake Public School in 2002.
LaVern was united in marriage to Edwin Grossman on March 2, 1946, in Devils Lake. They taught many years together. Edwin passed away on Aug. 10, 1997, in Devils Lake.
After retiring from teaching, she worked part time in Pettibone, and White Shield, ND, where she helped in the library. For 10 years she also worked part time in the Medical Library at Mercy Hospital in Devils Lake. She did volunteer work at the Senior Center in Devils Lake and also volunteered at the Riverside Christian School in East Grand Forks.
LaVern was an avid reader and loved to bake things her family liked. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren were her joy and love in her later years.
She is survived by two sons, Robert (Patricia) of Bismarck, and Larry (Elsie) of Northwood and one daughter, Deborah (Gregg) Anderson, Dayton, Ohio. She is also survived by two brothers, Gilbert (Elna Mae) of Lemmon, South Dakota, and Rayburn (Carla) of Fargo, and two sisters, Marion Albrecht of Munich, North Dakota, and Lorraine Christian of Bottineau. Also surviving are 7 grandchildren, Jodi (Paul) Brehm, Joshua (Kelly) Grossman, Jennifer (Jeremy) Reid, Brett Anderson, Krisha Meeks, Corey Grossman and Rachel (Casey) Smith, along with her beloved great grandchildren, Tristan, Reese, and Emery Brehm, William, Matthew and Aubrey Grossman, Sander and Callum Reid, Olivia Anderson, Brayden and Gavin Meeks.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, five brothers, Marvin, Dallas, Donald, Elroy, and Vernon Herbel and 1 sister, Iris Severtson, a granddaughter-in-law, Sarah Anderson, and a great granddaughter, Kayla Anderson.
If desired, friends may make donations to the Kayla Anderson Scholarship Fund, Vandalia Butler Booster Association, PO Box 723, Vandalia, Ohio 45377. Donations also may be made online at SarahandKayla.org.
Funeral services will be held at the First Presbyterian Church, 5555 South Washington Street, Grand Forks, ND on May 2, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. Visitation will be held 1 hour prior to the start of the service. Burial will be held at 1:30 p.m. in the Devils Lake Cemetery, Devils Lake, ND.
An online register book may be signed at www.amundsonfuneralhome.com