LaVerne Alice Kulich Obituary
LaVerne Alice Kulich of Cary, North Carolina, passed away on January 8, 2025 at the age of 99.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held Saturday, September 13, 2025 at 11:30 at Starks & Menchinger Chapel in St. Joseph, MI. Friends may visit from 11:00 till time of service.
LaVerne was born in St. Joseph, Michigan on May 9, 1925 to Frederick and Pearl Gitersonke. She grew up on the shores of Lake Michigan during the Great Depression. She often shared stories about her brothers mischief when they lived in town near the cemetery and sneaking cookies in the barn while staying with her grandparents who only spoke German in Bridgman. She talked about their experiences growing up as "sand rabbits" living near Silver Beach Amusement Park when her father was a milkman and they lived above her mothers' grocery store. When she was older, the family moved to Berrien Springs across from her grandparent's farm where they endured the loss of her baby sister Shirley and her older brother Vernon.
Laverne joined the Army during World War II and attended nursing school at St. Mary's College across from Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. The War ended as she graduated and began her career as a Registered Nurse. She shared memories of her first nursing job at a hospital in Benton Harbor, Michigan that was a 3-story house before Mercy Hospital was built. She then moved to Memorial Hospital in St. Joseph where she worked in obstetrics and recovery for many years. Her final years of nursing were spent as an Industrial Nurse at Whirlpool Corporation.
LaVerne met the love of her life, William Kulich, at Shadowland Ballroom where they spent years dancing the jitterbug to Big Band music. They were married in 1947 and Bill always referred to her as his bride throughout their 69 years of marriage. Bill and LaVerne had many friends with whom they enjoyed golfing, traveling, and playing cards together. They were both quick-witted and put a smile on everyone's face around them. They attended church every Saturday night and held hands wherever they went. They shared their secret was never to go to bed angry.
Berrien County is rich in history from the Miami and Potawatomi Tribes, to Father Marquette, LaSalle, and Al Capone. LaVerne loved the area's history and became very active in Questers, an antique club dedicated to the study, conservation and preservation of the local history. While working as a full-time RN at Memorial Hospital, she opened an antique shop in South Bend, and enjoyed traveling with her "antiquing" friends.
Above all, LaVerne lived her life with an infectious smile and the desire to help others at all times. She never met an enemy and befriended everyone she saw with a smile and positive words. She was a person of strong faith and her belief was contagious. She grew up in the Baptist Church, converted to Catholicism later in life, and attended Resurrection Lutheran Church when she moved to Cary, NC in 2015. Her faith radiated at every service regardless of the denomination and she would always smile and say, "it's close enough."
LaVerne's face brightened whenever she saw a child and had very close relationships with her grandchildren and great grandchildren, who were lucky to visit with her frequently. They remember her great back rubs (which they fought over), her cooking (homemade sausage, blintzes, potato pancakes, and sauce), and her love of music. She was always the first one to start wiggling and hit the
dance floor during performances at Jordan Oaks where she resided for her last ten years. After her passing, they referred to her as "the heart of Jordan Oaks."
She was preceded in death by her husband, William Kulich, her parents, Fred and Pearl Gitersonke, and her siblings, Vernon, Jack, Richard, and Shirley.
She is survived by her son Steven Kulich (Candy), daughter Carole Shaeffer (John), her grandchildren William (Kip) Kulich, (Kelly), John Shaeffer Jr., Mathew Shaeffer, and Stephanie Shaeffer, step- grandchildren Robert Dubman, David Dubman, and Allana Rennick, and several great grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
