Laverne Fleer

LaVerne M. Fleer,95, of Washington, passed away on June 4, 2026. Mrs. 
Fleer, daughter of the late Herman Kuenzel and Anna nee Nagel, was born 
on May 27, 1931, in Dutzow. She received her education from Washington 
High School and East Central College. On September 11, 1954, she was 
united in marriage to Kenneth Fleer at the St. Francis Borgia Church.

LaVerne was a special person to many people. Born and raised on the family farm on Augusta Bottoms Road.  She was a dedicated lifelong member of the Roman Catholic faith; by turn she was a member of St. Vincent parish in Dutzow, St Francis Borgia parish in Washington, and St Gertrude parish in Krakow.

Mom was a licensed amatuer radio operator for over 40 plus years, her call sign was WA0 (zero) GTT; both she and dad were members of MARS Military Affiliate Radio Systems during the Vietnam era. She enjoyed drawing and landscape painting. She played the trumpet in school and later was self taught on the piano. She was active in senior service programs for passive fitness, strength maintenance, and yoga for physical and mental balance. She was affiliated with the Red Hat ladies in the Washington area.

She was a member of American Legion Post 218 Auxiliary having served as Sergeant-at-Arms, and for many years on the Scholarship Committee. LaVerne taught at St Gertrude School for years; upon retiring she continued as a substitute teacher for both public and private schools in the area.

Mrs. Fleer was a dedicated homemaker, mother and prolific vegetable gardener. Perhaps her most enduring attribute was that she never met a person she couldn't be sociable with; her life motto was "Strangers are people you haven't met yet."

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Kenneth Fleer, and 
siblings, Felix Kuenzel, Irvin Kuenzel, Victor Kuenzel, Delores Filla, 
and Andrew Kuenzel.

Among her survivors are her children, Melissa McFarlin and husband Eric 
of Billings, MT, Julie Adams of St. Peters, MO, Gerald Fleer and wife 
Lynn of Mt. Pleasant, SC, James Fleer and wife Linda of Overland  Park, 
KS, Duane Fleer and wife Shelley of Houston, TX, and Roger Fleer and 
wife Patti of Washington, MO; grandchildren, Barron, Jessica, and 
BreAnne Hunt, Andrew and Lauren Adams, August, Aidan, Olivia, and Greta 
Fleer, Dillon, Devon, Marcus, Michael, Dusty, and Isabella, Brittany 
Brenner and husband Greg, Nicholas Fleer and wife Kylie, Jeff Fleer, 
Brian Fleer and wife Ali, Elizabeth Fleer, and Johanna Klepper and 
husband Nathan; great-grandchildren, Diego and Josephine Brenner, Carter 
and Emerson Fleer, Isabel Fleer, Penelope Martin, and Charlotte Klepper; 
In-laws, Jack Fleer and wife Martha of Winston Salem, NC, Gene 
Unnerstall of Washington, and Donna Fleer of Arkansas; nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

A visitation will be held on Friday, June 12, 2026, from 2-8 p.m. at 
Nieburg-Vitt, Miller Funeral Home. Memorial Mass will begin at 10 a.m. 
on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at the St. Francis Borgia Church. Interment 
will be in the St. Peter’s Cemetery in Washington. Memorial donations 
can be made to the American Legion 218 Women’s Auxiliary.

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