Ruth Laverne

Ruth Ann Laverne, 92, of Traverse City, passed away on September 29, 2016 at Munson Medical Center. Ruth Ann was born on November 15, 1923, in Detroit, the daughter of Rudolph and Emma (Hohf) Schmidt. Ruth Ann was a faithful, devout Christian and held memberships at St. Paul of Tarsus Catholic Church in Clinton Twp., MI, as well as St. Francis of Assisi in Traverse City. Upon retirement she and her husband moved north from the Detroit area to Traverse City where they resided for many years. Even before moving north they enjoyed spending time in the Traverse City area and made many memories renting a cabin on Lake Bellaire in Antrim County. She loved animals and was a long time member of the Michigan Humane Society, especially the Westland Chapter. She was an avid Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers Fan. She is survived by two children, Carol Ann Laverne of Traverse City, and Robert (Donna) Laverne of Hartville, OH. Ruth was extremely proud of her children and their chosen professions. She is also survived by a sister, Donna (Joe) Killewald of Rochester Hills, MI, five grandchildren, Courtney Laverne of Cuyahoga Falls, OH, Taylor (Sarah) Gillespie of Akron, OH, Kelsey (Brock) Cline of Uniontown, OH, Claire Laverne of Virginia Beach, VA, Mitchell Gillespie of Hartville, OH, and two great-grandchildren, Aubrey Gillespie, (daughter of Taylor and Sarah Gillespie, and Tanner Cline, (son of Kelsey and Brock Cline. She was preceded in death by her husband Albert "Jim" Laverne in 2000, two sisters, Audrey Nord, Ortense Nowakowski as well as her parents. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wed. Oct. 5, at 11 a.m. at St. Paul of Tarsus Catholic Church in Clinton Township, with visitation starting at 10:30 a.m. Interment will following at Resurrection Cemetery, Clinton Township, MI. Memorial contributions may be made to, Michigan Humane Society, 900 N. Newburgh Rd., Westland, MI, 48185. Arrangements are being handled by the Bellaire Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes. Please sign her online guestbook at www.mortensenfuneralhomes.com.