LAVERNE E. FRAGOMENI

LAVERNE E. FRAGOMENI Laverne E. Fragomeni, 90, passed away Monday, February 1, 2016 in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. She was born October 22, 1925 in Omaha, Nebraska to Charles and Lillian Beck. Laverne is survived by sons Chris Pennels (born 1955, wife Gail) of Highlands Ranch, Colorado and Scott Pennels (born 1961) of Broomall, Pennsylvania, and by her granddaughter, Mia Pennels (born 1990) of Seattle, Washington as well as a number of nephews and nieces. She is preceded in death by her sister Lillian Mann (1922-2012), first husband Norman Pennels (1923-1992), second husband Vince Fragomeni ( 1927-2011), son Mark Pennels (1953-2014, married 1981 to Alice Frechette) and grandson Michael Pennels (1988-2008). Laverne's family moved to the Los Angeles area during her infancy and she resided there for her teenage and young adult years. She graduated from El Monte Union High School in 1943 and later attended East Los Angeles Junior College. She then worked as a secretary for Fluor Corp. from 1946 to 1952. She married Norman Pennels in Pasadena, CA on February 14, 1952. They moved to Lansing, Illinois that year and brought their three sons into the world between 1953 and 1961. The family moved multiple times as dictated by Norman's employment with Sinclair Oil Corporation and Atlantic Richfield Company, including stops in New Canaan, Connecticut, Olympia Fields, Illinois, Newtown Square, Pennsylvania and Long Beach, California. After Norman's retirement in 1985 they settled in Carmel, California and in 1990 they then moved to Green Valley, Arizona. Norman passed away in 1992 and Laverne later met and then married Vince Fragomeni on May 24, 1997 in Green Valley. They had 13 happy years and after Vince's passing in March, 2011, Laverne remained in Green Valley until the fall of 2012 when she relocated to St. George, Utah to be closer to her son Mark. After Mark's passing in 2014, her son Chris then moved her to Highlands Ranch, Colorado where she remained until her passing. Laverne was very athletic and active. She excelled at tennis and softball in her teen and young adult years, winning a number of tennis tournaments in the Los Angeles area. She later was a women's club champion multiple times during her stops in Connecticut and Pennsylvania. She was also an avid golfer and bowler of above average ability. She was an accomplished artist and superior housewife and mother. Her personality was her biggest strength and enabled her to always make friends despite all of the relocations she was a part of. Funeral services will be held on at 1:30 pm on Thursday, February 11, 2016 at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Centennial, CO. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer's Association. Please share condolences with the family in the guestbook below