Lavon Mickelson Meyers was born on March 26, 1933, in Selby, South Dakota, a population of about 600….she was definitely a small-town girl. In January 1947, her father was inaugurated Governor of the state, so she moved with her family to Pierre, where she spent her high school years living in the Governor’s Mansion. In her very first 8th grade class in Pierre Jr High School, she unknowingly met her husband-to-be, Jim Meyers. Because students were seated alphabetically, Lavon and Jim were seated one in front of the other in this class and many other classes to come during the next four years.
In 1948, they discovered that they were more than just friends and began to develop a bond that only strengthened over time and lasted for 76 years. Upon graduating from Pierre High School in 1951, Lavon began university studies at USD in Vermillion, where she was an English major with education and music (voice) minors. She was dedicated to her academics (being inducted into Phi Beta Kappa). Also, she found time to be active in a variety of campus organizations and activities, including membership in Alpha Phi Sorority. (Meanwhile, Jim was almost 400 miles away studying engineering in Rapid City.)
Upon graduation in 1955, Lavon and Jim were married in Sioux Falls and then became residents of Gary, Indiana. Jim was employed as an engineer with US Steel Corporation, which was a significant culture shock for Lavon and Jim. It was there that Lavon gave birth to their two children, John in 1956 and Julie in 1958.
In 1959, Lavon and her family moved to West Lafayette to allow Jim to continue engineering studies at Purdue University, which led to a faculty appointment in 1963. During subsequent years, Lavon balanced family obligations with an active social life and membership in a variety of community organizations, including PEO, Tri Kappa, Current Topic, and the Alumni Board of the Purdue Chapter of Alpha Phi. She also took her tennis racquet with her wherever she went, playing women’s or mixed doubles at every opportunity. After her children left home, she worked for 15 years in the Purdue Library system. And, after Jim retired in 2006, they spent half of each year in Fort Myers (playing tennis, of course).
Lavon was preceded in death by her parents, George T. Mickelson and Madge E. Mickelson, and her three siblings, Janice (Carmody), Patricia (Adam), and George. She leaves behind her husband, two children, and their extended families. A memorial gathering of family and friends is planned for the fall, with a date yet to be determined.
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