Laverne (Kephart) Hummel, 93, of Salem, passed away at 9:30 PM, Monday, October 10, 2022, at the Windsor House/Omni Manor Health Care Center in Youngstown, OH.

She was born March 6, 1929, in Philipsburg, PA, daughter of the late Herman and Laura (Coulter) Kephart.

Laverne moved to Austintown from Pennsylvania 1954, then to Salem in 1972. She was a waitress for a brief period of time and then spent 10 years working at N. Col. Co. Comm. Hosp. (Salem Regional Med. Ctr) as a seamstress. She retired at 69 years of age after working as a realtor for 20 years at Hoff Realty and lastly at Stamp Realty.

A member and past President of the American Business Women Association, Member of the Salem Area Senior Citizens, Long time member of First United Methodist Church of Salem, involved with Church Women United, Birdy Hanson Group and Womens Circle there. Laverne received Realtor of the Year award twice in Columbiana County. In her later years after retirement, she enjoyed riding around from town to town, looking at unique architecture of the homes and sharing stories about many she was in and sold over her career. Laverne found great joy sitting out on her porch, visiting with neighbors and any one else who would pass by her house.

Laverne is survived by her three daughters; Sonja (L. Paul) White of Cortland, OH, Linda Porter of Columbiana, OH, and Lori (James) Fitzwater of Franklin, TN, her son; Tracey (Mary Lynn) Hummel of Monroe, NC, as well as six grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death in 1991 by her husband Ralph W. Hummel, whom she married August 29, 1945, her brother Ward Kephart, her sister Avis Kraus, and a grandchild.

A Celebration of Life Service will be October 22, 2022, 11:30 AM in the Chapel of the First United Methodist Church in Salem, with Rev. Bruce Irwin officiating. A time of visitation with family and friends will be in the Parlor from 9:30-11:30 AM. Laverne will be laid to rest alongside her husband in the Grandview Cemetery in Salem.

Arrangements were entrusted to the care of the Arbaugh-Pearce-Greenisen & Sons Funeral and Cremation Services of Salem.

The family has requested that donations be made to the Trustee Fund of the Salem First United Methodist Church 244 S. Broadway Ave., Salem, Ohio 44460 or Hospice of the Valley 5190 Market Street, Youngstown, Ohio 44512.