Laverna K., daughter of Amandus and Agnes (Schelldorf) Kracht was born December 10, 1905, near Westside, Iowa. Her parents farmed in the Westside area and Laverna graduated from Westside High School.

Laverna was united in marriage with Ed Livingston and in 1943 moved with her family to the Pacific Northwest to work in the shipyards during World War II. She later worked in the business office of Meier and Frank Department Store in downtown Portland, Oregon.

Laverna loved to fish for salmon on the Columbia River. She had coffee klatches with her neighbors and lived in the same house in northwest Portland for 40 years. She was an avid gardener with roses as her specialty. She spoke German whenever she had the chance and enjoyed making German dishes from her mother's cookbook.

After a long illness, Laverna died September 15, 2003, in Olympia, Washington at the age of 97 years, 9 months and 5 days.

Preceding Laverna in death are her husband Ed Livingston; son Don Livingston; grandson Edward Morris and three brothers Harold, Oliver "Sam" and Ivan Kracht.

She is survived by her daughter Virginia Morris of Olympia, Washington; three grandsons: Roy Morris and wife Nancy; Frank Morris and wife Carol; and James Morris and wife Cheryl; six great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter all of Washington state; sister Ruth Mae Ossenkop of Harlan; brother Robert Kracht of Ankeny and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.