Lavona B. Moore 1929-2022 Lavona B. Moore was born on March 28, 1929, in Concordia, Missouri, to Alvin and Nora (Wehmeier) Bokelman. She died on March 15, while a patient in Memory Care Gardens of Rountree Gardens in Stanton, California. She was a Leisure World resident of Mutual 9 for 34 years. She was the oldest of five children. Her early years were on a farm in a rural community near Alma, Missouri, where she attended a one-room elementary school and was taught by her grandfather, who was also the pastor of the neighboring Lutheran Church. When she was high school aged, the family moved into their own home in Concordia. She worked as a waitress while in high school, and after graduation, she was employed by the community bank. At the age of 21, she moved to St. Louis and continued working in a bank. While attending church functions, she met Gilbert Moore, a student at the local Lutheran seminary who was assisting at the church. They were married on June 8, 1952. In addition to living in Missouri, Lavona lived with her family in Idaho, Washington, Hawaii and California; traveled to all 50 states. When all her children were in school, she was employed by numerous jobs including bank accountant and office manager, and in her later years, she managed the offices for Solheim Lutheran Home in Eagle Rock and Southland Lutheran Home in Norwalk. She was very active in volunteer services, and in addition to being the pastor’s wife, her most prominent role was her years of service for the hospitality center at Lutheran conventions. She is survived by her husband, Gilbert; children Mahlon, Dorothy and Lisa (Delbert Nunley); grandsons Aaron, Peter (Ashley) and Geoffrey; and her siblings, Melba, Alice and Norma; plus numerous relatives. She is preceded in death by her daughter, Christine, and brother Raymond. Lavona often quoted her confirmation verse: “Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12 KJV). A graveside burial attended by the family will be held on Saturday, April 30, at Forest Lawn, Cypress; at her request, a memorial moment for everyone will be held on Sunday, May 1, 10:30 a.m. during the regular worship service of Redeemer Lutheran Church in Leisure World. The family requests no flowers, but you may donate to a charity of your choice, the Alzheimer’s Association or Redeemer Lutheran Church in Leisure World.

Scott Boeger 1946-2022 Scott Boeger, born April 6, 1946, died on Feb. 28. He was born in Bellwood, Illinois, the son of Gilbert and Marie Boeger. He is sur- vived by his fiancé, Potsy Frank; daughters Sally (Doug) and Sandy (John); grandsons Donny and Cooper; and greatgrandson Jesse. After moving to California, Scott explored a variety of jobs, including being a meter reader in Laguna Beach, a bus driver and an accountant. He bought King Arthur’s Pub in Westminster and developed a loyal clientele by sponsoring darts, cribbage games and tournaments. Scott moved to Leisure World in 2003 and was a member of the RV Club and the Cribbage Club. Upon retirement, he devoted his time to his real passion: magic. Scott was a member of several area magic clubs and won many awards and trophies in magic competitions. He will be remembered for his great sense of humor, his corny one-liners, and his generosity in teaching and supporting other magicians. His mentoring of many magicians resulted in their going on to win major awards themselves.

Karen Aileen Merkel 1943–2020 Karen Merkel will be missed by many friends and family. Karen passed away at Los Alamitos Medical Center on July 24, 2020, of non-COVID related reasons. Karen was born along with her “womb-mate” Kurtis on June 18, 1943, in Bismarck, North Dakota. She said that it was fun growing up with a twin brother, giving “double-trouble” to their mother who often said, “What one twin didn’t think of doing mischievously, the other one did!” At the age of 15, while attending her second confirmation class at House of Prayer Lutheran Church in Bismarck, North Dakota, a miracle and a mystery happened simultaneously: Karen received Jesus into her heart as her Lord and savior, which truly was a miracle. When the pastor asked Karen to read the three Scripture texts in that confirmation class (Isaiah 6:1-8, Romans 10:13-17 and Matthew 28:16-20), a mystery happened, and she immediately received a missionary calling. After finishing her formal education which included Bismarck High School, Bismarck Junior College, Dickinson State College and attending Northern Illinois University and the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago, she was ready to begin her missionary career, which spanned over 50 years. On March 31, 1968, Karen was commissioned at the House of Prayer Lutheran Church in Bismarck, North Dakota to serve as a Lutheran missionary in South America. She studied Spanish in Costa Rica, spent four years in Uruguay with the former Lutheran Church in America and nine years in Bolivia with the World Mission Prayer League. In November 1976, at the age of 33, while serving in Bolivia, Karen was stricken with breast cancer, which resulted in a radical mastectomy that was performed in Bismarck. Four months to the day after her surgery, she returned to Bolivia with her chemotherapy in her suitcase. That year, she wrote a book about her cancer experience titled, “Jesus Can Put it all Together.” Karen worked five more years in Bolivia, and then, because of declining health, she returned to the U.S. After doing parish ministry in Central California, Emanuel Lutheran Church in San Jose and St. Luke Lutheran Church in Sunnyvale, where she met her best friend, Sue Hutchins, Karen returned to missionary service in October 1987. She set up an office in Anaheim and became the Pacific Southwest (PSW) regional coordinator for the World Mission Prayer League (WMPL) for 30 years. At the time, Karen became a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Huntington Beach, where the beloved Paul Johnsen, a former missionary to Japan, was pastor. After moving to Leisure World in 2012, Karen often attended Redeemer Lutheran Church of Leisure World and enjoyed their Wednesday Bible studies. She was also honored to occasionally be invited to preach at Redeemer. One of Karen’s favorite ministries serving as PSW coordinator was to travel around the world, visiting the work of the WMPL, ministering to and encouraging the missionaries. Her friend Sue was always her traveling companion, helping the missionaries and the nationals with their computer needs. In 1995, Karen was diagnosed with heart disease that included two open heart surgeries and a 45 minute cardiac arrest. By 1996, she was heading toward a heart transplant until she received a second opinion, changed cardiologists, and started a new regimen of medications and cardiac rehab. She never let her heart condition deter her from her ministry with the WMPL. Some of her favorite activities were nurturing her friends, preaching, visiting U.S. national parks, photography and watching baseball. Karen would ask you a question today: “Now that I am in heaven, who will take my place to share God’s love around the world? If not YOU, then WHO, if not NOW, then WHEN?” Karen was preceded in death by her father, Chris Merkel; her mother, Esther Zeiszler; her sister and brother-in-law Marlene and Richard Mallett; her “womb-mate” twin brother, Kurtis Merkel, and her brother-in-law Ralph Eck. She is survived by her sister and brother-in-law Lorna and Paul Wohnoutka; sister Bernice Eck; her sister-in-law Lois Merkel; and her special friend Sue Hutchins. Her Service of Committal was held on Dec. 18, 2020 ,at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Sunnyvale. The service was held outside with social distancing because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Her ashes are stored in a niche of a columbarium at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Sunnyvale. A memorial service for Karen will be held at Grace Lutheran Church in Huntington Beach on Saturday, April 9, at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the World Mission Prayer League at www. wmpl.org in memory of Karen Merkel. —Paid obituary

••• Lois Campbell Celebration of Life All are invited to Lois Campbell’s celebration of life service on Sunday, April 10, from noon-3 p.m. in Clubhouse 1. The family requests people wear bright, colorful clothes at the service to celebrate Lois’ bright and cheerful spirit. People are invited to write something about Lois, what she taught them or a special memory about her with their name on it to share. For more information, contact Jim Campbell at (562) 619-2462.