LaVerne F. Van Dorselaer, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend, passed away peacefully on Jan. 23 at her home in Knoxville.
To tell the story of LaVerne is to tell a love story. For above all else, her unrelenting love flowed freely and deeply through her family and all those who knew her.
Mrs. Van Dorselaer was preceded in death by her husband, Roland “Van” Van Dorselaer; her son, Steven Van Dorselaer; and her parents, Fredrick Donald and Annie Nancy Cottrell.
She is survived by her daughter, Karen Van Dorselaer; her sons, Thomas (Traci) Van Dorselaer, Robert (Vickie) Van Dorselaer, and Roy Alan (Diane) Pinkard. She was the proud grandmother of David (Tracy) Van Dorselaer, Kristin Van Dorselaer, Tom (Ella Johnstone) Hewetson, Matthew Hewetson, Michael Van Dorselaer, Nicholas Price, and Connor Pinkard; and of great-grandchildren Jack Van Dorselaer, Troy Van Dorselaer, Claire Van Dorselaer, and Asher Roland Hewetson.
Mrs. Van Dorselaer was born in Chicago on Jan. 30, 1930, and was a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan. Her family’s move to Knoxville resulted in her passionate support of the Tennessee Vols. Having her four children and four of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren attend the University of Tennessee, Mrs. Van Dorselaer rarely missed watching the Vols and Lady Vols play. Also, the warmer climate of Knoxville allowed her to create gorgeous gardens, with each successive year bursting with more color than the year before. Her gardens also revealed her whimsical side with gnomes peeking around every corner.
Her faith was gently woven into the fabric of who she was. She was a strong believer in angels and relied on them throughout her life. She was also the most creative spotter of shapes in the clouds. Her family delighted in her mastery to see these wonderful shapes and will forever look to the skies and be reminded of her.
Above all else, Mrs. Van Dorselaer counted being a wife and mother as her greatest blessings. Her family grew up in a home filled with love, faith, and plenty of laughter. When challenges arose, she was always there with a well-timed word and the wisdom and strength that made everything better. And when there were successes, she was the one clapping the loudest and longest. She was the anchor, the mainstay, the touchstone, and in short, she was “home.”
Mrs. Van Dorselaer’s legacy will live on in the hearts of all who knew her. Her life was celebrated on Jan. 30 with a funeral Mass at the Cathedral of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, followed by a burial service in Pleasant Forest Cemetery in Farragut.