The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

Mary Laverne Dorsey Mayberry passed away with her family at her side on August 8, 2019.

Laverne was born January 22, 1935 to Martin and Gertie (Marbach) Dorsey in Walla Walla. The oldest of four children, they were raised on the family wheat ranch west of Prescott (Dorsey Farms, Inc.).

Laverne graduated from Prescott High School in 1953. She graduated from Holy Names College, Spokane, WA in 1957 with a degree in Home Economics. One month later she married the love of her life, Justin Mayberry, at St. Patrick's Church in Walla Walla, WA on June 8, 1957. They immediately started their family in a little house west of Prescott called the "Collard Place". In 1962 they remodeled a house in Prescott where they raised their family and resided there for over 57 years.

Laverne, a true farmer's daughter, participated in family life on the farm. She was a Camp Fire Girl, member of Wagonettes and enjoyed every aspect of High School clubs and sports. At college, she played basketball and was asked to be an assistant coach with the Holy Names sisters in her sophomore year.

As Kathy, Mike and Tim entered school Laverne began her involvement with the Prescott School District, first as a playground supervisor, then substitute teacher and eventually library aide. She was involved in Camp Fire as a Blue Bird leader and Camp Fire Girls advisor for over 30 years. Known to her nieces and nephews as "Auntie Vern" she became a big supporter of the many sports they and her children played, assisting coaches in many ways, and was one of the most vocal fans at the games. All the while Laverne maintained a love of gardening, canning and baking (in competition with her mother Gertie and mother-in-law Arvilla).

She was asked by Tom Baker of the Waitsburg Times to write a weekly column of the happenings in Prescott. She agreed and he named the column "The Prescott Party Line". She was paid by the column inch and wrote for many years. Many of us remember checking the column to see if our names appeared that week.

Laverne's other activities included: Pleasant View Homemakers Club, Prescott Booster Club, Prescott High School Alumni Association and St. Mark's Alter Society. As a life-long parishioner at St. Mark's Catholic Church in Waitsburg, WA, Laverne took her Christian duties very seriously and taught Sunday school, participated in Alter Society, scheduled readers for Mass and prayed daily for those on prayer chains and those that needed prayers. Her devotion to Our Blessed Mother and the Rosary grew stronger as her body grew weaker.

She is survived by her devoted husband, Justin Mayberry; sister Peggy (Jerry) Hall; sister-in-law Peggy Dorsey; children Kathy (Mike) Jansen, Mike (Lisa) Mayberry, Tim (Barbara) Mayberry; Grandchildren Joshua (Jenny) Mayberry, Michelle (Joe) Sebastiani, Jonathan (Randi) Mayberry, Stuart Jansen, Colby (Jessica) Mayberry, Jessica (Ari) Fernando, Suzanne Jansen, Faith Mayberry; Five great-grandchildren, with one on the way and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents Martin and Gertie Dorsey, an infant brother, brother George Dorsey, and sister Betty Dorsey Fish.

A Viewing and Visitation will be held on Friday, August 23, 2019 beginning at 2:00pm followed by a Rosary service at 7:00pm at the Chapel of the Herring Funeral Home. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Mark's Catholic Church in Waitsburg, WA, on Saturday, August 24, 2019 at 10:00am followed by a graveside service at the Ivy Cemetery, Prescott, WA.

Memorial Contributions may be made to St. Mark's Catholic Church, Prescott High School Alumni Association or a charity of the donor's choice through the Herring-Groseclose Funeral Home, 315 W Alder Street, Walla Walla, WA 99362.