LaVerne Rose (Shaffer) 

Gursky, 89, of Lafayette, passed away at 1:38 pm, Wednesday, August 28, 2024, at University Place Health in Lafayette.

She was born on November 27, 1934, to the late Harry and Goldie (Coffman) Shaffer.

Her marriage was to James George Gursky on March 20, 1954, in Gary, IN. He preceded her in death on May 12, 2009.

She grew up in Miller and lived on the beach and at the lagoon. She graduated from William Wirt High School in 1953. While Jim was in the Airforce they moved to Riverside, California and Anchorage, Alaska. After moving around Northwest Indiana, settled in Crown Point, Indiana. 

LaVerne was a former member of the Crown Point Athletic Booster Club and was instrumental in helping raise money to support all athletes at Crown Point High School. Prior to the Booster Club, she helped raise funds and build the Panther Football Field concession stand and staffed the concession stand for years. 

She worked at Eisenhower Elementary School in Crown Point, supervising the cafeteria for many years. Jim and LaVerne moved it Bass Lake in Knox, IN after Jim retired.  LaVerne enjoyed hosting cookouts and holidays at the Lake for family and friends.  She made each of these events special and memorable by planning delicious menus with fun themed items and enjoying pontoon rides and bonfires.  LaVerne worked with South Bend Hospice for many years as a volunteer coordinator covering multiple counties. After her retirement, LaVerne moved to Monticello, Indiana where she and Jim lived and enjoyed their grandchildren. In her later years as a resident of Aster Place Senior Living Community, she enjoyed working with the residents to help adjust to their new lifestyle and did grief counselling.

LaVerne loved sports and loved watching her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren play all of their sports. If she could not be there, she was listening or watching on her phone.  She spent many hours the last 6 years at Lafayette Central Catholic watching her youngest grandchildren playing baseball, softball, basketball and football.  She also loved Purdue football and basketball.  

She is survived by three daughters, Karen Schubert (husband: Jeff) of Surprise, Arizona, Kathleen “Kathy” Hosek of Valparaiso, Indiana and Kristine “Kris” Robbins (husband: Brian) of Lafayette, Indiana ; one son, Michael J. Gursky of Boynton Beach, Florida; grandchildren, Scott and Liz Bartolac of Surprise, Arizona, Chad and Katie Hosek of Valparaiso, Sean and Megan Hosek of Wesley Chapel, Florida, Gabriel “Gabe” Mundo of Valparaiso, Stephanie and Jose Cardenas of Orlando, Florida, James “Jimmy” Gursky of Boynton Beach, Florida, Nikita Robbins of Erie, Pennsylvania and Brinn Robbins of Lafayette, Indiana; great grandchildren, Cameron, Kellan and Morgan Hosek of Valparaiso, Indiana, Addison and Avery Bartolac of Surprise, Arizona and Lockton and Kemmery Hosek of Wesley Chapel, Florida; three great-great grandchildren, Mia and Jordan Cardenas of Orlando, Florida and Kailani Mundo of Blue Point, New York, sister Mable Pennington of Portage, Indiana; several nieces, nephews and cousins.

Along with her loving husband and parents, LaVerne is preceded in death by an infant son, Richard Gursky; grandson, Jason Bartolac; two brothers, William and Hank Shaffer and three sisters, Ricki (Audrey) DiCesare, Betty Nagy and Patricia Pavlakovic.

Friends may call Saturday, September 7th from 11am until time of services celebrating LaVerne’s life at 1:00 pm at the Fred L. Miller Memorial Chapel of the Roscka Roth & Clapper Funeral Home in Monticello, Indiana

Interment to follow at Riverview I.O.O.F. Cemetery in Monticello.

Memorials may be made to Lafayette Central Catholic Athletic Association.