Laverne was born the son of William and Rosa Heki Jones on November 27, 1917, in Lynnville, Iowa. He was raised and educated in Lynnville and graduated with the Lynnville High School Class of 1925. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in education from Central College in Pella, Iowa and took summer courses at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa and Northeast Missouri State University in Kirksville, Missouri. He enlisted in the United States Navy during World War II on December 7, 1942, where he served with the Naval Reserves for seven years as a Lieutenant Commander. He was united in marriage to Evelena Van Genderen on October 6, 1960, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa. The couple resided in Lynnville all of their lives, where Laverne taught math and sciences courses at Lynnville-Sully schools until his retirement in 1981. Laverne was a lifelong member of the Lynnville Friends Church. He was a member of the Lions Club in Lynnville for twenty-five years, the National Education Association, the Iowa Education Association, and the local VFW. He enjoyed fishing, waterfowl hunting, golfing, and attending horse races. He was an avid reader who spent much of his time reading about the Civil War. He was very proud of his three Brittany Spaniel hunting dogs. Laverne is survived by his nieces and nephews, Donald Renaud of Kimberling City, Missouri, Charles Renaud of Middle Amana, Iowa, Richard Renaud of Tonopah, Arizona, and Margaret Marshall of Phoenix, Arizona; and eleven nieces and nephews on the Van Genderen side. Laverne passed away Monday, September 18, 2006, at Grinnell Regional Medical Center. He was eighty-eight years of age and was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Evelena on August 23, 1976; his son Stephen E. Jones; and his sister Alice Renaud. Memorials may be directed to the Lynnville Historical Society and sent in care of the First State Bank in Lynnville.