LaVerne was raised in the Rugby home of his parents and graduated from Rugby High School, the class of 1951.  Following high school he was engaged in farming until September 15, 1953, when he was inducted into the U.S. Army.  He was honorably discharged on August 26, 1955 and returned to Rugby to farm.  On June 16, 1970, he was united in marriage to Delores Johnson Arlien.  The couple made their home in Rugby for the first year of their marriage and then moved to the Harmel farm in Meyer Township, southeast of Rugby where he farmed until retirement in 1998.  Delores died February 6, 1998.

LaVerne was a lifetime member of St. Paul Lutheran Church where he had served as Trustee and Elder, served on the Persilla Watts Cemetery and Prairie Village Museum Boards of Directors for a number of terms and was an skilled craftsman, spending countless hours in his woodworking shop on the farm.  Many of his family, friends and the church where blessed in receiving the products of his woodworking.  He loved the farm and all the work that went with it and greatly enjoyed hunting and fishing when time allowed.  Dearest to his heart were his children, grandchildren and family.

Survivors include his children, Karen Arlien of Edgeley, John (Karen) Arlien of Baldwin, Donna (Craig) Gunderson of Rugby and LaRae (Danny) Selvig of Rollete; grandchildren, Eric Gunderson, Jared Arlien, Ethan Arlien, Jessica Harmel, Keenan Arlien, Jacob and Jacie Selvig; great grandson, Payton Gunderson; three sisters, Marlys (Delmer) Ostrem and Beverly (Orvin) Blekeberg, all of Rugby and Sandra (Glenn) Bethke of Grand Forks; six brothers, Robert (Audrey) of Rolette, Gerald, Douglas (Joni) and Stranford (Susan), all of Rugby, Bradley (Suzanne) of Franktown, Colorado and Donovan of Minneapolis, Minnesota; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and a host of friends.  He was preceded in death by his wife; two sisters, Alice Mae Harmel and Bernice Greig; and his parents.