LaVerne Heady Yakel, age 97, died on February 8, 2020 in Chelsea Michigan. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph Yakel Jr.; her mother Sadie Wilsman Heady; her father Lloyd Heady; and by her brother Lloyd George Heady.
LaVerne was born in Evansville Indiana and lived there through her graduation with a B.A. from Evansville College (now University). During World War II, she worked at Servel, editing the Servel News, after the company shifted its production to help produce the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. She moved to Connecticut following her marriage in 1956. A serious collector of early American antiques, she first established an antiques business in Indiana in the 1940’s and moved it to Connecticut in the 1950’s. She continued the business until 2000 when she moved to Ann Arbor, MI. She is survived by her daughter Dr. Elizabeth Yakel an Associate Dean and Professor at the University of Michigan.
Services will take place at St. James Episcopal Church, 3279 Broad St., Dexter, Michigan on Saturday February 22, 2020 at 10 am. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Paralyzed Veterans of America or the Humane Society of Huron Valley.