Obituary of LaVerne Roberta Jones

Bobbi, (age 74), passed away at her home on January 31, 2019.  Bobbi was born on December 13, 1944, the youngest of 13 children, to Louis and Marie Galatz in Hibbing, Minnesota.  She was named LaVerne in honor of her eldest brother, Vernon, who was serving as a paratrooper with the 82^nd Airborne Division in the European Campaign of WWII.  Vernon survived the war and returned home to meet his youngest “baby” sister for the first time, now old enough to greet him with a song!

Bobbi was a graduate of Hibbing High School in Hibbing, Minnesota and a graduate from the Boise State University School of Nursing. 

Bobbi was joyful, charismatic, energetic, caring, generous and full of life.  Bobbi’s laugh was simply infectious and she left everyone she met a little richer when you got to spend time with her.   Bobbi was a loving spouse, mother, and grandmother, a former elementary school librarian and a retired nurse at St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center.  She loved gardening, baking, knitting, playing Scrabble while drinking wine with her friends, reading, telling stories and singing to her grandchildren and reluctantly taking trips to countries in Europe, Asia, the Caribbean and Hawaii with her loving husband. 

She was preceded in death by her parents and her son, John Paul Maras.  She is survived her husband, William; daughters, Beth Marie Christiansen; Melissa Brother (Tony); Daughter-in-law, Wanda Maras; sons, Mathew Jones (Denise) and Timothy Jones; grandchildren, Kallan Christiansen, Adrie Christiansen, Luna Wozniak, Bodhi Brother, Noah Brother, Nordika Jones and Vienna Jones; all of whom will miss her dearly. 

Bobbi’s life philosophy was demonstrated in the story, “Empty Pockets” which she composed a few weeks before she left this earth as follows:

Empty Pockets

I read this story years ago.  I have tried to track it down, but cannot find it.  I will do my best to remember, since it left so many things for me to try to accomplish in my life.  I fell short of many but tried hard at some.

The story goes, that a person is in heaven and God is asking her if she has used all the wonderful things that he had given her.  She answered, “Yes Lord, my pockets are empty.  I have given away all of the laughter you bestowed upon me.  I have given away the love you have given me and much of the knowledge that you have helped me acquire.”

My hope for my loved ones is that they are left with empty pockets at the end of their lives, and that they will smile at me showing me those empty pockets.  Love you all…  Bobbi

The family will have a private celebration of Bobbi’s life at a later date. 

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a memorial donation to:  Women’s and Children’s Alliance, 720 W. Washington St, Boise, ID  83702.