LaVern M. Breaw

LaVern M. Breaw, age 96, of Scotland, South Dakota, died Saturday, June 1, 2024, at the Good Samaritan Society in Scotland, South Dakota.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM on Friday, June 7, 2024, at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton, South Dakota with Pastor Dan Flyger officiating.  Burial will be in the Ebenezer Reformed Cemetery south of Scotland, South Dakota.  Visitation is from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Thursday, June 6, 2024, at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton with a prayer service at 7:00 PM.

Pallbearers will be her grandsons: Jeremy Rempfer, Kevin Neth, Shannon Mutschelknaus, Craig Neth, Joel Rempfer, and Anthony Hackett.  Honorary pallbearers will be her granddaughters: Katina Rueb, Rebecca Hobbie, Dana Cass, Amber Gould, and Megan Aldrich.

LaVern M. Breaw was born November 27, 1927, on the family farm to Howard and Dena (Kruse) Nyhouse.  She grew up on the farm south of Scotland, South Dakota and attended a small country school.  She graduated from Scotland High School in 1945 and continued her education at Southern State College in Springfield, South Dakota and graduated with a teacher’s certificate.  After teaching one year at a country school, she became an employee of Breen’s Drugstore in Scotland for three years as a “soda jerk”.

On June 18, 1950, Lavern was united in marriage to Merton Breaw in Olivet, South Dakota. For a short time they made their home in Lake Andes, South Dakota, while Merton helped construct the Fort Randall Dam.  That fall Merton was called up to serve in Korea.  During his term of duty, LaVern lived with her parents.  In 1952, they moved to a farm on the edge of Scotland where she took great pride in raising her family and helping Merton on the farm by milking cows.  They moved to her family farm six years later.  In 1980 LaVern began working at the Good Samaritan Society in Scotland.  She worked at the nursing home for 30 plus years in many different capacities.

Merton and LaVern were charter members of the Fellowship Baptist Church in Scotland where she remained a member until her death.  Her faith and love for the Lord always kept her busy in her church.  LaVern also loved to sew, crochet, quilt and garden, especially nurturing her roses.  Besides their four daughters they raised their nephew, Ken Breaw and later two nieces, Tamara Tjeerdsma and Deb Shaffer.

Survivors include her three daughters: Peggy (Gerald) Rempfer of Menno, South Dakota; Sharon Neth of Springfield, South Dakota; and Denise (Del) Mutschelknaus of Freeman, South Dakota; son-in-law, Rick Crosby of Buxton, Maine; eleven grandchildren; thirty-five great grandchildren and seven great-great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Howard and Dena Nyhouse; husband, Merton in 1991; her parents-in-law, Floyd and Jeanette Breaw; daughter, Jill Crosby exactly one year ago on June 1, 2023; son-in-law, Craig Hackett; son-in-law, Steven Neth; sister-in-law, Dawn (Harley) Ketterling and brother-in-law, Charles Breaw.