Lavina Laverne Green

Lavina Laverne Bahr Green, aged 88 earned her angel wings on Friday, April 24th, 2020 after battling tongue cancer and other major health issues since October 2019. She was born May 12, 1931 at Grandma Boone’s house in Howard, Kansas as the third daughter of Loren Walter and Lena Leota Boone Bahr. She was preceded in death by her parents, Loren and Leota Bahr, husband Wiley Green, son Ronald Dale McKenzie, sisters, Marjorie Bahr Pape and Rozanna Bahr Jacques, and brothers Marlyn, Robert and Garry Bahr.

She lived her early years on a farm northeast of Severy, Kansas and graduated from Severy Rural High School with the class of 1949. In May 2019 she was able to travel back to Kansas and attend her 70th high school reunion. She grew up during the depression years and did not have many material things but was blessed with a loving and supportive family. She learned many valuable lessons growing up on a farm that served her well throughout life. Some of her fondest childhood memories were the Fourth of July when her daddy would buy a case of pop and each child could pick 3 different flavors. Her favorite was grape. That was a real treat back then. She was raised that the family had to eat together and each child had a designated seat around the table. She could still tell you where everyone sat. She and her sister Rozanna would try to swap out food that one liked and the other one did not without the parents noticing and would sometimes get caught. They would also try to get each other to laugh. One of her chores was to bring the cattle up the lane. On one particular day, the old bull was being stubborn and so she was talking to it repeating some choice words that she had heard her daddy say. All of a sudden her mother raised up out of the garden along the lane and said, “young lady, I want to hear you say those “pretty” words again.” She recently told her daughter that her mother and daddy told her all the right things because it has all come true. They told her to never do bad things. After graduating high school she worked in Wichita, KS for various families and at a production plant. She married Douglas McKenzie, father of her three children in 1952 and moved from Kansas to Mississippi and then to Texas where she has resided for 60 plus years. After she divorced her first husband she met a wonderful Christian man and married Wiley Lincoln Green in February 1963. They resided in Houston, TX later moving to Cleveland, TX in 1970. They enjoyed 25 years of marriage.

Lavina worked as the head custodial service worker for the Houston Independent School District for 27 years and retired in 1991. She was an extremely hard worker and everyone at the schools loved her. Lavina was an excellent cook and provided many wonderful meals for family gatherings and especially Thanksgiving dinners. For many years she and her husband raised a big garden and raised hogs, goats and a milk cow which she milked. She was an avid fan of Wheel of Fortune and all of the family knew better than to call her when this show was on TV. Some of her favorite foods were catfish and peaches. And in her last months she really enjoyed the milkshakes that her son-in-law would bring her from D & Ms. She loved to play cards and dominos when friends and family came to visit. She also enjoyed reading and working Word Search books. In her younger days, she and her sister, Rozanna loved to Jitterbug. When the four sisters were together you could always count on some really good times with lots of belly laughs. Lavina had some very hard times in her life but was always positive and kind to everyone. People who met her would quickly learn to love her as she was the sweetest person on this earth. She was especially loved by ALL her family.

Lavina accepted Christ at an early age and was a devout Christian and regularly attended Tabernacle Baptist Church in Cleveland until her health declined. The immunotherapy for treatment of the tongue cancer was working but her body just wore out from all the other health problems she had experienced this year. She died from a heart attack as her heart just could not support her any longer. She loved her church family and was known for her wonderful potato salad for church potlucks.

Lavina Green is survived by son Tommy McKenzie of Garland, TX, daughter Paula (Kirk) Enloe of Coldspring, TX, Grandsons Glen (Katrina) Ferguson of Cleveland,TX, Bradley (Donna) McKenzie of Moody, TX, and Brenton McKenzie of Fort Worth, TX. Granddaughters Tracy Lester of Dallas, TX, Holly Enloe of Cleveland, TX, Amber (Kirby) McKenzie-Perry of Mesquite, TX, and Crystal Ferguson of Cleveland, TX. Great grandchildren Taylor Williams, Kyle Lester, Deza McKenzie, McKenzie (Tyler) Gann and Destiny Gann, Brianna, Delanie and Hailee Ferguson, Payton and Tyler White. Sister Janet Bahr of Tahlequah, OK and 13 nieces and nephews, Eugene Pape, Kimberly Warren, Tony Bahr, Rick Bahr, Kandy Marks, Patricia Bahr, Randy Bahr, Kathy Bahr, Marsha Ramsey, Garry Bahr, Sheila Alves, Lyal Bahr and Troy Bahr and many great and great great nieces and nephew. Honorary daughter Carol Bruce and honorary grandsons, Dale and Philip Bourgeois and honorary granddaughters Gale Bourgeois and Debbie Hales. Her beloved dog, Rosie and a host of other relatives and friends.

Services for Lavina Green will be conducted Wednesday, April 29th, 2020 at 10 am at Pace Stancil Chapel with Brother David Moore presiding. Family will receive friends on Tuesday, April 28th from 5-8 pm at Pace Stancil Funeral Home, Cleveland, TX.