LaVerne A. (Nys) Blecha
LaVerne A. (Nys) Blecha, 100, died December 20, 2022. She was born Aug. 2, 1922, in Green Bay to the late Orville and Emily (DeLaruelle) Nys.
She is a graduate of St. Joseph Academy and St. Mary’s School of Nursing as a registered nurse. LaVerne worked as an R.N. at Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital, at St. Vincent and St. Mary’s Hospitals in Green Bay, at the Deckner Clinic in Green Bay, and in Health Services at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. She also spent 12 years as a nurse volunteer for the American Red Cross and a shorter time at the NEW Community Clinic.
On Nov. 10, 1945, she and Edward J. Blecha were married at Annunciation Catholic Church in Green Bay, with Ed’s brother, the Rev. Jordan Blecha, O. Praem., as celebrant. LaVerne and Ed were married for 61 years. He preceded her in death on Feb. 8, 2007.
LaVerne and Ed were charter members of St. Bernard Catholic Church, where LaVerne served as one of the parish’s original Eucharistic ministers and was a member of the Rosary Altar Society. Her other community involvement included the St. Joseph Academy Alumnae Association, St. Mary’s Nurses Alumnae, Catholic Women’s Club, the Cabrini Book Club and the Senior Volunteer Center.
LaVerne loved spending time with her family, including her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. LaVerne frequently mentioned how blessed she and Ed were to have such a loving and committed family.
LaVerne also enjoyed reading, sewing, gardening, cooking, playing the piano and playing bridge, cribbage and sheepshead with friends and family. LaVerne and Ed spent 16 joyous winters with friends in Holiday, Florida.
She is survived by four children and their spouses, Mary (James) Warwick, Rockford, IL, Michael (Marguerite) Blecha, Green Bay, David (Darlene) Blecha, Green Bay, and Stephen (Laura) Blecha, De Pere; her grandchildren, Linda (Brett) Wolters, Springfield, IL, Aaron (Nicola Collings) Blecha, Brighton-Hove, England, Joel (Deanna Pacelli) Blecha, Oak Park, IL, Andrea (Greg) Erhardt, Lexington, KY, Karl (Tracy) Warwick, Glendale, WI, Alanna (Mark Allender) Blecha, Washington, D.C., Nicholas (Brittany) Blecha, Madison, and Hannah (Josiah) Hensler, Appleton; her, great-grandchildren, Ashley, Abby and Andrew Wolters, Springfield, IL, Betsy and Olive Blecha, Brighton-Hove, England, Tate and Asa Blecha, Oak Park, IL, Ansel and Ezra Erhardt, Lexington, KY, Reese, Ian and Delainey Warwick, Glendale, WI, and Cora, Mabel and August Allender, Washington, D.C., a sister-in-law, Mary Brindle, and nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward; her parents, Orville and Emily Nys; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, Arthur and Laura Blecha; her brother, James Nys; sisters-in-law, Norene DiNardo and her husband, V. James DiNardo, Carmella Blecha, and Barbara Wescott; brothers-in-law Francis Blecha and his wife, Regina, and the Rev. Jordan Blecha; granddaughter, Kathi Rei Warwick; and grandson, Nolan David Blecha.
Friends may call at St. Bernard Catholic Church, 2040 Hillside Lane, on Wednesday, December 28th, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday at the church with the Rev. Mark VanderSteeg officiating. Burial will be in the Allouez Catholic Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.prokowall.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in LaVerne’s name to St. John’s Homeless Shelter or St. Bernard Parish.
La Verne’s family wishes to express its gratitude to the caring staffs at Woodside Manor and Compassus Hospice, especially hospice nurse Michelle whose compassion helped ease mom’s final weeks and days.
I’d like the memory of me to be a happy one.
I’d like to leave an afterglow of smiles when life is done.
I’d like to leave an echo whispering softly down the ways.
Of happy times and laughing times and bright and sunny days.
I’d like the tears of those who grieve, to dry before the sun.
Of happy memories that I leave when life is done.