Our beloved Mother, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother, Lu Verna Thomasson, 98, passed away December 19, 2015. She was born January 9, 1917, in Dunkirk, MO to Earl and Anna Mennie. At an early age her family moved to Grand Forks, ND. She had two brothers, Ralph Mennie and Elvin Mennie (both deceased), and two sisters, Lorene Jasper (102) and Vera Moen (deceased).
She married Stefan Thomasson in Grand Forks March 10, 1934. Together they had three children, Eyvonne “Bonnie” Liebel (John), Lyle Thomasson (Judy) and Laura Carroll.
Lu Verna and Steve moved their family several times during the early 1940’s before settling in Seattle, WA in the summer of 1942. They both worked at Todd Shipyard till the end of WWII.
After the war they built their first home in White Center and received so many offers to buy it, they finally agreed to sell – thus began their career in real estate. For the first several years, they built and sold many new homes around White Center, Burien and Chelsea Park. They opened the family business, S & L Realty, in White Center May 1, 1950. Lu Verna and Steve operated S & L Realty alone until 1959, when their daughters joined the business. The business was family owned and operated for 56 years. In 2006, at the age of 90, Lu Verna decided it was time to retire and sold the business to another local family. Granddaughter Gail Crouse continues to work there.
Lu Verna enjoyed traveling with her children and grandchildren, but most of all she enjoyed working and helping to improve the community in which she lived. Meeting new people, making friends and doing the best to improve her community gave Lu Verna great satisfaction.
Lu Verna leaves behind three children, twelve grand-children and many great-grandchildren – all will miss her greatly.
A gathering of family and friends will be take place Saturday, January 9, 2016, 1–3 p.m., at Fauntleroy Church, Fellowship Hall, 9140 California Ave. SW, West Seattle.
Guestbook: www.forestlawn-seattle.com
Published in The West Seattle Herald Section of The Westside Weekly January 8, 2016.
