Irene Rannow Obituary

March 30, 1932 - February 28th, 2025
Irene "LaVaughn" Rannow
Irene "LaVaughn" Rannow went home to be with her Lord on February 28, 2025. LaVaughn was born on March 30, 1932, in Mohall, North Dakota to Charles and Irene Sleeper. She spent her childhood in that farming community with her younger sister, Sharon, and younger brother, Don, attending grammar school, becoming an accomplished pianist, and blossoming into a beautiful young girl. She moved with her family to Seattle during WWII, her mother working as an RN and her father working at Boeing. After the war, the family moved to Oregon; first to Woodburn, then settling in Sandy, where she would meet the man she would marry until her dying day, William "Bill" Rannow. At Sandy Union High School, LaVaughn enjoyed playing soccer, continuing with the piano, and graduating as Valedictorian of the class of 1950. LaVaughn continued her education at Willamette University, Reed College, and Valparaiso, graduating with a degree in education and a teaching credential in the state of Oregon. Her first teaching job was in Glide, Oregon.
In 1957 LaVaughn married Bill Rannow and taught school while Bill attended Oregon Tech. Shortly after, they landed in Livermore, California, but the forests called them both back to Oregon. LaVaughn and Bill went hand-in-hand into the timber industry, moving to Lincoln City, Oregon, in 1962, and never looked back. LaVaughn and Bill were blessed with four (4) children between 1963 and 1968: Billy, John, Kay, and Bob. The consummate wife and mother, LaVaughn also kept the books for the log hauling business, played the organ in church every Sunday, and always had time for others- especially the less fortunate. She headed up fundraisers, the church bazaar and rummage sales, the senior class fund, and often gave her time and treasure to those in need- sometimes, complete strangers. But then, LaVaughn never knew a stranger.
As the grandchildren began to arrive, LaVaughn always had time to read them a book, bake cookies, or take them along on her many errands. Her grandchildren, and indeed all people, knew her love by virtue of the time she spent with them. Visiting grandma at the Oregon Coast was always special. Besides nurturing her grandchildren, keeping the books for the business, and playing the organ at church, mom became the church secretary, another "job" she held for 25 years. March 17, 2005, LaVaughn suffered a massive brain aneurism. Hampered by her physical health, LaVaughn was lovingly cared for at home for the next 20 years by her daughter Kay, her husband Bill, and devoted caregiver, Melissa. Even though she couldn't "do what she used to," she was a tower of love, faith, hope, and wisdom during her convalescence. You need only look into her eyes, and she spoke silent volumes. In the end, she passed into the arms of Jesus peacefully in her living room, in her chair.
LaVaughn is preceded in death by her son Billy, her sister Sharon, and her brother Don. She is survived by her husband Bill, her children Kay, Bob, and John, her grandchildren Emily, Madeline, Alexandra, Reggie, Kim, Andrew, and Hannah, and her great grandchildren Bo, Ella, and Georgia.
Memorial Service will be Monday, March17th 11:00 AM at Saint Peter the Fisherman Lutheran Church 1226 SW 13th Street, Lincoln City, Oregon. Reception to follow.