Francine Johnston Lavent, age 88, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 19, 2011 at Brooklyn Community Estate.  Funeral Services will be 10:30 A.M. Saturday, October 22, 2011, First Presbyterian Church, Brooklyn with Rev. John Reynolds officiating. Private burial will be in the Brooklyn Memorial Cemetery.  Visitation: 5 to 7 P.M. Friday, October 21, 2011 at Kloster Funeral Home, Brooklyn.  A memorial fund has been established.

Francine is survived by her husband of 67 years, Valere Lavent; three children, Douglas (Linda) Lavent of Montezuma, Debra Lavent and Valerie Blain of Arlington, TX; six grandchildren, Kenneth Lavent, Montezuma, Wendy Lavent (Marcellus) Amatangelo of Des Moines, Erin Doty (Dr. Ryan Senger) of Blacksburg, VA, Nathan Doty (Jordan) Mansfield, TX, Jacob Blain, Arlington, TX, and Jillian Blain Sikes (Ron) of El Paso, TX; and two great-grandchildren, Tori Streich of Cresco, IA and Jackson Phillip Doty of Mansfield, TX.

She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister Ruth Brooks, a brother-in-law, Phillip Brooks, and a son-in-law, Curtis Blain.

Francine Johnston was born April 20, 1923 in rural Montezuma, the daughter of Francis and Daisy Dee Johnston.  She was raised on the family farm and graduated from Montezuma High School in 1940. She attended business school in Iowa City and was employed at the University of Iowa business office as a secretary to the comptroller. During WWII, she was employed in Washington D.C. at the Census Bureau before her marriage to Valere Lavent on February 9, 1945.

Francine enjoyed her family. She was a devoted wife, mother and homemaker and was also the full-time secretary/bookkeeper for the family aviation charter business.  She was a long time member of the First Presbyterian Church.  Her many interests included playing golf, cooking, canning, dancing, reading, playing bridge, crossword puzzles and traveling.  All who knew her appreciated her quick wit and humorous composition skills.  She will be missed by her family and her many friends.