Funeral services will be 10:30 am Monday, April 26, 2010 at Zion Lutheran Church in Avon, with burial in the church cemetery, rural Avon. Visitation will be at Crosby-Jaeger Funeral Home in Avon from 2 to 5 Sunday afternoon, with the family present from 2 to 4. There will be a prayer service at 7 pm at the church.

Laval-Mae Evelyn Haenfler was born August 11, 1921 to Charles and Caroline (Peters) Vesper in a stone house six miles south of Avon. She died Thursday, April 22, 2010 at her home in Avon. Laval attained the age of 88 years, eight months and 11 days.

When Laval was two, the family moved into a new house that her dad had built on the same farm. She attended Trumbo School for eight years. Her father died in 1936. Laval and her brother Charles moved to Oregon with their mother to be with Caroline's brother Leo and wife Dorothy. Laval attended junior high school one year at Albany, OR and then started high school the next year at Salem, OR.

Laval and her mother returned to Avon and her mother married Adam Vilhauer. She then enrolled in Avon High School at mid-term. Laval was elected cheerleader her junior and senior year and drum majorette her senior year. She entered beauty school after graduation. Laval worked at Chamberlain a year and Gregory for two years. She then returned to Avon and bought a beauty shop. Debbie Reiff worked with her and later bought the business from Laval, where she continued to work for Debbie. Laval celebrated 50 years as a beautician. She also did hair at the Good Samaritan Home and St. Michael's Hospital in Tyndall. Laval also worked for Lyle Mensch during the spring planting season.

In 1944, Laval married Gerald "Butch" Haenfler. She helped him milk cows and other farm work. Four children were born to this union: twin daughters, Cheryl and Carol, who died shortly after birth; Duane in August of 1948 and Cynthia in June of 1951. Laval and Gerald were honored as Senior Citizen Fans of the Year for Avon High School in 2002-2003. Gerald died on July 27, 2006.

Laval was a member of Zion Lutheran Church where she taught Sunday School, helped lead Christmas Eve programs and sang in the choir. She was a member of LWML since 1945 and was a past president. Laval was also a member of the Senior Citizens, having served as president and vice president and served on the Advisory Board at the Good Samaritan Society in Wagner and Tyndall.

Laval made many bookmark crosses that she gave to the ill and bereaved. Even after she suffered a stroke in 2008, she continued to make them for hospital nurses and employees. Laval became known as the Cross Lady.

Thankful for having shared her life are her children: Duane (Carolyn), Hot Springs; Cynthia, Avon; two grandsons: Ross (Jennifer), Oxford, MS and Brad, Rapid City; three step grandchildren: Shawn (Morey) Trupe, Rapid City; Stacey Hazelton, Havre, MT; and Kelly Butler, Rapid City; a great granddaughter, River; 10 step great grandchildren; a brother, Charles, Lebanon, OR; two sisters-in-law: Janna Sattler, Wagner and Marie Conners, Scottsdale, AZ; two brothers-in-law: Roy (Shirley) Scottsdale,AZ and Albert (Thelma) Satsuma, FL; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Laval was preceded in death by her husband; parents; twin daughters; two brothers: Adolph and Leo; two sisters: Marcelia Cameron and Carries McNaughton; and several brothers and sisters-in-law.