Verna LaVonne Hulver

Verna LaVonne (Wilcoxon) Hulver, 91, of Higginsville passed away Sunday, September 22, 2025 at Lafayette Regional Health Center in Lexington. There will be a visitation on Monday, September 29, 2025 at the Presbyterian Disciples Church, 914 Franklin Avenue, Lexington from 10:00 am until 11:00 am. A funeral service will follow at 11:00 am at the church. Interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, Lexington. Memorials may be made to the KU Endowment Fund for Prader-Willi Research. Memories and condolences may be left at www.LedfordFamilyFH.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Walker-Nadler-Fuller Funeral Home, 1720 South Street, Lexington, Missouri 64067, 660-259-2245.

LaVonne was born December 25, 1933, early Christmas morning at home on a farm in Johnson County Missouri, about nine miles southeast of Odessa, near the Lafayette County line, to Maurice Ernest and Vivian Irene (Campbell) Wilcoxon. She was the fourth of five children.

LaVonne attended first through eighth grades at Payne School, a one room schoolhouse 2 ½ miles from her home and Shaw School, also about 2 ½ miles from her home in Lafayette County. She then graduated from College High School in Warrensburg in 1953 and attended CMS for one year. She worked for her uncle, a carpenter and cabinet maker, for a brief time.

On November 4, 1961 she married Frank Elmer Hulver, Jr. of Lexington, and moved to his farmstead about seven miles southeast of Lexington. Their son, Todd Lee Hulver, was born February 4, 1963.

LaVonne was preceded in death by her parents; a sister, Retha Joyce (Wilcoxon) Cumberland; two brothers, Mackey Wilcoxon and Schooley Wilcoxon; a stillborn son and daughter; her daughter-in-law, Kimberly Hulver; brothers-in-law, Edwin Cumberland, Jr. and John Schooley; sisters-in-law, Margaret Wilcoxon and Peggy Wilcoxon; and her husband of 45 years on May 5, 2007.

Survivors include her son, Todd Lee Hulver of Mayview; grandchildren, Sara Grosso (Nick) of Lexington and Andrea Synon (Maxwell) of Columbia, Missouri; six great grandchildren, Erica, Grayson, Harper, Porter, Campbell and one on the way; a sister, Iris Schooley of Higginsville; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

LaVonne gave her life to Christ at age 15 and joined the First Presbyterian Church in Warrensburg where she sang in the choir while in high school. She attended the Odessa Presbyterian Church, the Nazarene Church, Mount Tabor Methodist Church and the Long Branch Baptist Church.

After she married she joined the First Christian Church in Lexington where she taught Sunday School for many years and sang in the choir. She sang in duets and trios for many funerals. LaVonne loved music and played the organ in her home, mostly for her enjoyment, some for others. She was an Elder and church board member and worked in the C.W.F. organization. She held many offices in various departments of the church, helped cook and serve funeral dinners and was in Hope Circle.

LaVonne enjoyed many years as a member of the Maple Glen Club.