Service: 10:30 a.m. Thursday, June 25, Lone Tree American Legion. Visitation: 4-7 p.m. Wednesday, June 24, Sorden-Lewis Home for Funeral and Cremation Services in Lone Tree.

LONE TREE, Iowa — Laverne “Vernie” Lois Dvorak, 81, of Lone Tree, died Saturday, June 20, 2009 at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City.

The Rev. Rick Crooks will officiate. Burial will be at the Lone Tree Cemetery.  Casketbearers will be Tyson Graf, Clint Graf, Andrew Slaughter, Ben Slaughter, Jim Dvorak, Sean Dunn, Josh Zaruba, and Robbie Spencer. Honorary casketbearers will be Bill Schlapkohl, Ben Johnson, Rosie Attig, Rose Mary Lewis, Wilma Buline, Hester Larew, Dot and John Sexton.

Following the interment, a time of food and fellowship will be held at the Lone Tree American Legion.  In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the Lone Tree First Responders or the Lone Tree Friends of the Library.  Sympathy notes may be left at www.lewisfuneralhomes.com.

Laverne Lois Abrams was born March 19, 1928, in Lone Tree, the daughter of Doug W. and Myrt J. (Barcus) Abrams.  She married Johnnie M. Dvorak Sept. 27, 1946, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua. 

She was a life long resident of Lone Tree.  She and Johnnie farmed the area for more than 20 years.  After they left the farm in 1967 she and her husband owned and operated Johnnie's Tavern in Lone Tree.  For nearly 13 years they enjoyed serving and entertaining the people of Lone Tree and the surrounding communities at Johnnie's. 

Later in life she served as a crew chief at Prairie Valley, a mail carrier for the USPS, and as a meter reader for the City of Lone Tree and REC. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary.  She volunteered at the Lone Tree Schools as a reader and at the Care Center playing cards and bingo with the residents.   

She will be deeply missed by her children; Marsha J. Graf and husband, Henry M. of Riverside, Cynthia K. Slaughter and husband, Eldon of Lone Tree, and John R. Dvorak and wife, Kathy of Marion; eight grandchildren, Tyson Graf of Riverside, Clint and wife, Nichelle Graf of Oxford, Rory and husband, Robbie Spencer of Belle Plaine, Andy Slaughter of North Port, Fla., Ben Slaughter of Lone Tree, Ashley Zaruba and husband, Josh of Lone Tree, Jennifer and Sean Dunn of Marion  and Jim Dvorak of Lincoln Neb.; three great- grandchildren, Hailey Spencer, Vivian and Abigail Zaruba;a sister, Sue Smothers and husband, Gary of Lone Tree and a sister-in-law, Bessie Wolford of Blue Grass.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her step-father, John Smid, her husband in 1994 and a sister, Diana Jarrard in 1965.