LaVonne Rae Jewell of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, passed away with cancer on Sunday, January 11, 2026.  During the preceding week, she was under the trusted care of Dr. Roset Samuel and the excellent team of nurses and staff at Mountain View Medical Center in Las Cruces, New Mexico.  LaVonne was born October 16, 1941 in Linden, Iowa and at age 8 was relocated with her growing family to a farm in Princeton, Minnesota, just north of the Twin Cities.  LaVonne was the oldest child with two brothers and three sisters.

LaVonne married Roger Jewell on August 15, 1961 and had four daughters.  The family moved frequently, following Roger's postings with the U.S. Forest Service.

In the mid-1970's, Lavonne began pursuit of a degree in Women's Studies at Ohio University in Athens, Ohio. She later graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work from University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee in 1982.

After her divorce in 1988, she moved to Minneapolis, to live near family and begin her career in social work specializing in the area of elder care.  She worked there for 12 years prior to her final relocation to Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.  Here, she continued her work with the elderly and began a focus on hospice care and grief counseling.

For much of her life, LaVonne worked to establish, teach and participate in women's groups, classes, and workshops dedicated to the study of human dynamics, understanding relationships and particularly self-acceptance. Additionally, LaVonne studied and became a certified Reiki master, and gained extensive knowledge in Gene Keys, Human Design and the Enneagram.

LaVonne's most cherished aspects of life were friendships and connections to family members.  She was a dear friend, trusted advisor, and confidant to many, spanning the country, in part, due to her ability to be at home in many places.

LaVonne is preceded in death by her mother, Charlotte Adams, father Raymond Wilcox, sisters: Rachel Pendergrass, Joan Schwartz and June Larwick, and her brother Ronald (Buzz) Wilcox.

LaVonne is survived by her daughters and their husbands, Jacqueline Harrison-Jewell (Glenn Harrison), Kimberly Jewell (William Schiller), Amy Putkonen (Eric Putkonen) and Kristin Collins (Terrence Collins).  LaVonne is survived by her fur baby, Grace, who will be cherished by a granddaughter in accordance with her final instructions. Also survived by 6 grandchildren and 3 great-grand children. And also her brother, Levi Wilcox and many nieces and nephews.

A small gathering was held to celebrate her life at her home on February 8, 2026.  Her ashes were spread at a favorite wilderness location where she will remain, surrounded by the majestic beauty of her desert home.