February 25, 2010

Lavene Hardung

Lavene H. Hardung died in his sleep on Feb. 17, 2010, at his home in Mesquite, Nev.

He was born on the family ranch near Odessa on March 9, 1923, to David and Mary (Hoff) Hardung. He was the third of five children.

He was preceeded in death by his parents, brothers Joe (Daisy) and Herb (Tana), sisters Lucille (Lars) Gustafson and Marcine (Bob) Deife.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Vera; daughters, Rebecca (Mike) Botsford and Lisa Hardung; son, Kurt (Lori) Hardung; two grandchildren, Katie and Alex Hardung; and many nieces and nephews. In addition to immediate family, he is survived by his “other son” Kelvin (Chloe) Lee and family, Kelsha, Kizzie, Blue, Brittany and grandchildren.

He ranched wheat, barley and cattle with his father and two brothers as Hardung and Sons. In 1958, he earned the Conservation Farmer of the Year award for the Ritzville area of Adams County, Washington. He also sold farm and ranch real estate with his cousin, Lloyd Harding, of Big Bend Land and Cattle Co. in eastern Washington and Idaho.

For recreation, he shot trap, with his trophies including Handicap Washington state runner-up 1958. Running cattle in the Arizona strip country was something he truly enjoyed. It has been said the people of Mesquite and small town life were extremely important to him.