LaVerne Sawyer

Who Passed From This Life September 6, 2021

Graveside Services will be held on Friday, September 10, 2021 at 2:00 PM at Abilene Municipal Cemetery under the direction of Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home. Visitation will be held on Thursday, September 9, 2021 from 6:00 pm until 8:00 PM at Elliott-Hamil Funeral Home 5701 Hwy. 277 S. in Abilene. The family is not requesting that everyone attending her services wear a mask as well as maintain social distancing - that will be each person’s personal decision.

Born Ruby LaVerne White on the banks of Cow’s Head Creek near Gatesville, Texas on September 18, 1927, our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and sister lived an incredible life. We celebrate her, but mourn her passing this past Monday evening, September 6, 2021. She was just 12 days shy of 94 years old!

She was born to Robert David and Gertrude Lee White, and graduated from Loraine High School in 1944 as Salutatorian. She went on to attend Draughn’s Business College in Abilene, TX where she met and later married Leo Harding Sawyer. They made a home in Abilene, divorced after 19 years, and she raised three children.

Being a single mother, she became manager of Abilene Title Company for 17 years, and later Administrative Secretary at Crown Exploration and Charter Petroleum for 30+ years. She finally retired at 84.

As a life-long member of the Church of Christ, our mother was the definition of “Christian”. She was loving and accepting of all, kind and generous, totally devoted to her family, and believed that God was and is in control. We know without a doubt that she is in His presence now and that we will see her again someday.

Preceding her in death were her parents, Robert David and Gertrude Lee White of Loraine, TX; her sister and niece, Delma and Jan Robison of Bowie, TX; and three infant grandchildren, Aimee, Michael, and Joseph Foster.

Our mother is survived by her sister, Charlene Walker (Kenneth) Martin of Loraine, TX; her children, David (Brenda) Sawyer of Texas City, TX, Karen (Frankie) Berry of Novice, TX, and Andrew (Joanna) Sawyer of Madison, AL; grandchildren, Cindy (Tony) Manzo of Merritt Island, FL, Robert Sawyer of Texas City, TX, Feather (Joshua) Wright of Powhatan, VA, Amber (Michael) Dennison of Chesapeake, VA, and Randall (Holli) Baeza of Lake Mary, FL.; great-grandchildren, Jade, Mina, London, Gage, Koen, Lilianna, Jett and Kira; numerous nieces and nephews; and many, MANY friends.

She left a legacy of hard work, strength of character, and love.

The family would like to give a special thanks to the kind and caring staff of Holiday Hill Nursing Home in Coleman, TX, as well as Interim Hospice of Abilene and Brownwood.