LaVerne Jean Rothering

MINNESOTA CITYLaVerne "Mick" Jean Rothering, 75, died Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, surrounded by his loving family at Winona Health.He was born on March 8, 1935 to Marcella Rothering Brown (husband Lynn Brown), in Fountain City, Wisc. He married Patricia Ellen Wise on Oct. 16, 1954. In the early 1960s they moved to Sheboygan, Wisc. to raise their eight children. They returned to Minnesota in 1989 where they planned to spend the rest of their lives.Mick was a truck driver for more than 25 years. He was also a tinkerer with a penchant for old cars and new technology. His children brag that they were one of the first families in the neighborhood to have a color TV and a VCR. He loved to take things apart and see how they work. Even more, he loved the challenge of putting them back together.Mick was a loyal father and grandfather. He loved getting weekly check-ins from his sons while they were out on the road. He often sat at the kitchen table telling his grandkids how different it was "back in the day." When he was more active, he enjoyed gardening and taking his dog, Smokey, out for walks. He loved the outdoors -- especially fishing and hiking in the woods.Mick is survived by his eight children, Susan (Jack) Messner of Rochester, Minn., Terry Pfister of Byron, Patricia (Duane) Rothering of Winona, Joseph (Roberta) Rothering of Sheboygan, Wisc., Mark (Angie) Rothering of Sheboygan, Wisc., Connie (Mark) Frank of Sheboygan, Wisc., Daniel (Tammy) Rothering of Minnesota City, and Jeffrey (Tama) Rothering of Minnesota City; 24 grandchildren; 36 great-grandchildren; sisters, Diane Dutch and Kathleen Ward of Peru, Ill., LaVonne Brown of Ogelsby, Ill., Sharon Lange of Winona, Darlene (Steve) Probasco of Ozawkie, Kan., and Marlene (Al) Walsh of Washington, Ill.; brother, Lynn (Maxine) Brown Jr. of LaSalle, Ill.; many nieces, nephews, and a host of other family and friends.Mick was immediately preceded in death by his wife, Patricia. He missed her so much those 10 days that they were apart. He was also preceded in death by his mother, Marcella.Funeral service is to be held at 5:00 PM Friday, Nov. 15 at Hoff Celebration of Life Center in Goodview, Minn., 55987. Memorial service will be held after the funeral service at the Community Center of the Hidden Valley Mobile Home Village in Minnesota.