Lavon Zelmer

  Lavon Zelmer 86 of Bridgewater, passed away Wednesday, May 31 at the Diamond Care Center in Bridgewater.   Funeral services will be Thursday,  June 8th at 10am at the Zion Lutheran Church of Bridgewater.  Visitation will be Wednesday from 5pm to 7pm with a prayer service at 7pm at the church.

Lavon Jean Zelmer was born October 4th, 1936 to Ben and Marie (Lauck) Dorale. She grew up in the Spencer area where she attended a country school and helped on the family farm.

Lavon was united in marriage to Harold Zelmer on April 22, 1962 at St Matthew’s Lutheran Church in Spencer. To this union was born 3 children Eugene, Vicky, and Wanda. They took over the Zelmer family farm and she waitressed in the evenings at The Dakota House, near Salem. She also waitressed in Bridgewater at the Lazy D’ café and the Wildcat Inn. On May of 1977, they bought the Wildcat Inn and ran it together for 33 years. Lavon continued to run the café for another 7 years after Harolds passing, finally retiring October 28th 2017.

Lavon enjoyed all aspects of running the Wildcat Inn. She enjoyed watching families grow up over the years, the late-night breakfasts after dances, kids coming in after sporting events, serving BBC, Meals on Wheels, Alumni banquet, and many other special events that occurred in the community. Not too many people know that Lavon was an avid bowler in the 70’s and 80’s. She loved playing cards and Wahoo with her family and grandchildren. She also loved to embroider, work on her diamond art, tend to her flowers, feed the birds, and watch the Minnesota Twins.

She is survived by Eugene of Canistota, Vicky (Jeff) Wilson of Box Elder, Wanda (Mark) Haynes of Alexandria. Grandchildren, Tyler and Jackson Wilson, and Casey and Riley Haynes. Sister Esther Meinen, Mitchell and brother Donald Dorale, Bridgewater.

She was proceeded in death by her husband Harold in 2010. Brothers, Walter, Leroy and Albert (Virginia) Dorale, and sisters Myrtle (Floyd) Terveen and Mabel (Robert) Jacobsen, sister-in-law Jean Dorale, and brother-in-law Melvin Meinen.