LaVerne peacefully passed away at home on Jan. 29 with her two daughters and granddaughter by her side. She was 92 years young! LaVerne was born in Port Townsend to Joseph Mosley and Ruth McLean Mosley. She grew up in Port Hadlock.
LaVerne graduated from Chimcacum High School in 1949, marrying Maurice Bradley shortly afterwards. Together they had three children, Laurie Crawford and Mike Bradley, both of Port Hadlock, and Cindy Kelly, of Port Townsend. Maurice passed away in 1965, and LaVerne married Roy Hicks in 1968, adding his daughter Barb Kennedy, of Oregon to the family.
LaVerne worked at the Crown Zellerbach Paper Mill in Port Townsend two separate times. The first time was before having children, and the second time was after they all had left home in the 1970s. She also represented the paper mill twice during the annual Rhododendron parades. In the early '50s she was chosen to be Crown Z’s queen, and rode on their float. Then, in 1993 she represented four generations of mill workers for Port Townsend Paper Corp. This time LaVerne’s float was the back of a 1966 truck with her mother, her oldest daughter, and granddaughter.
LaVerne retired early from the mill and enjoyed a long retirement with Roy and her family. She loved to run, and competed in many Rhody Runs, taking home several ribbons in her age bracket of 50-59. Later she and Roy enjoyed their mountain bikes, grew large gardens, traveled, went camping and enjoyed clam digging. LaVerne was also a great cook. Clam chowder and potato salad were just a couple of her family’s favorites. She also loved to read and was in a book club. She made beautiful crocheted and knitted items for lucky family and friends. LaVerne was a blessing to her Irondale Church, helping with Vacation Bible School, making loads of cookies, and working in the soup kitchen every Tuesday.
LaVerne was preceded in death by her husbands, Maurice Bradley and Roy Hicks; her sisters, Carolyn Salseina and June Hunziker; and three of her grandsons, Vernon Bates, Nathan Marshall and Dylan Kelly. She is survived by her four children, six grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends.
Celebration of LaVerne’s Life will be held at the Irondale Church, officiated by Pastor David Hodgin, at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25,2023. Donations can be made to Olympic Mountain Pet Pals.
