Lavonta Katrina Harge
March 07, 1931 - July 25, 2016
On March 7, 1931, Robert Jacobs & Rosa Copeland welcomed a baby girl into the world. They named her LaVonta. Her mother, Rosa passed later in childbirth. Robert would need a wife that would love his children and raise them as her own. He found that in Alberta Howard, who LaVonta embraced as “Mama”.
LaVonta grew up in the black settlement known as, “The Elbow”, in west Guthrie, where her family had settled as run-away slaves. She grew up in a home that believed in serving the Lord and accepted Christ at a young age. Her grandfather Jess Copeland was a laborer at Mt Zion Baptist Church in the 1920s, her step-mother Alberta served as president of the Women’s Missionary Society, her father served as a deacon. LaVonta loved singing and found her place of service in the choir, her melodious soft voice touched the soul, and in her home children were often awakened to the sounds of such hymns as "The Lord’s Prayer" and "How Great Thou Art".
A bright student, she attended Page Elementary and Faver High and graduated with the "Class of 1949". She loved debating, and was a fierce member of the debate team and never backed down from a good argument. While preparing for her graduation ceremony she noticed the other students had middle names, she decided she needed a middle name and chose "Katrina", and it stuck. Her father insisted she further her education so she attended Michigan University but after the third year returned home, fell in love and married Samuel Berry Jr. To this union were born four children, Valorie Alberta, Keith Randall, Eugenia Marie, and Kirk Roman. After separating from her husband, she had two more daughters, Fatina Janelle and Valencia Ilene. In 1985 LaVonta exchanged vows with her lifetime companion and friend, Herlon James Harge, whose son Michael was already part of the family.
LaVonta worked outside the home, but her primary focus was always on others. She enjoyed the simple pleasures of life, like watching the birds, watering the flowers or just talking to passersby. She always spoke her mind and would stand up for the defenseless.
She left this world exactly like she would have wanted to, surrounded by her children.
She leaves to celebrate her life, her children, Valorie (Howard) Gray, Los Angeles, CA; Keith (Verna) Berry, Moore, OK; Kirk Berry, Oklahoma City; Fatina (Ted) Hogan, Forest Park, OK. She is also survived by her step-son Michael Harge, Oklahoma City; son-in-law Michael Chunn, Carollton, VA; her sister-in law, Ollie Jacobs, Houston Texas.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Herlon Harge; two daughters, Eugenia Johnson and Valencia Chunn as well as her brothers, Robert Jr, Homer, Donald and Llwellyn Jacobs and her sisters Ameldia Gray and Petella Jacobs.
Her legacy continues with multiple grand children, great-grand children, nephews and nieces.
Funeral services for Lavonta will be held at 2:00 P.M., Saturday, July 30, 2016 at Smith Memorial Chapel. Interment will follow at Memory Gardens Memorial Park Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Smith-Gallo Funeral Home, Guthrie.
Visitation will be held Friday, 12:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M.
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