LaVerne R. Kenny
1919 - 2013

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother; loving sister; devoted aunt and cousin; passed away in her sleep at her home in Belmont.
LaVerne was the daughter of John J. Nelson and Marguerite Brown Nelson, born in San Francisco on July 25, 1919. She spent her early years in the Mission District where she attended the Convent of Notre Dame grammar school and graduated from Notre Dame High School in 1937. She attended the California Secretarial School and earned her diploma in 1939. LaVerne found a job at Shell Oil and, despite the war economy, was able save up enough to buy a brand new Dodge after the end of the war-her family's first automobile.
In 1946, she met the love of her life, Michael P. Kenny. They married in 1947 at Mission Dolores Church, and moved out to the Sunset district to start a family. They were active members of St. Anne's Parish. LaVerne stayed busy with various part-time jobs at downtown law firms, keeping her skills sharp and helping out with the family finances. In 1968, with their children almost grown, Mike and LaVerne decided to move down the peninsula to Belmont. They joined the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, where LaVerne participated in the choir and regularly attended Sunday Mass for the rest of her life. She also worked for the Belmont City government, the City of San Mateo, and the County of San Mateo until retiring in 1980. Even in retirement she remained active in her community, joining the Belmont Woman's Club, The Belmont Senior Center, the San Mateo Garden Club, and the Belmont Garden Club. She was an avid and skilled bridge player.
LaVerne also played a central role in her family-she happily hosted the majority of holiday gatherings. Her grandchildren affectionately knew her as "Nana," and were always able to count on her support and generosity.
She is predeceased by her husband of 62 years, Michael; her beloved daughter Elaine Simmons; her loving brother Lloyd Nelson; and her parents John and Marguerite Nelson. LaVerne is survived by her son Peter (wife Vicki of Newark, CA); son John (wife Barbara of San Francisco); her five grandchildren-Peter, Jennifer (husband Richard Nguyen), Angela, Erica, and Andrea; and her great grandchild Elise Nguyen, sixth generation San Franciscan.
Friends and family are invited to Crippen & Flynn Carlmont Chapel, 1111 Alameda de las Pulgas in Belmont on Sunday, August 25th from 3:00pm to 5:00pm (Rosary at 4:00pm). A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, August 26th at 10:00am at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Belmont. Interment to follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma. Sign the guestbook at www.crippenflynn.com