LaVon "Barbiece" Ness

LaVon Barbiece Ness, 79, of Fargo, ND, passed away peacefully at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo Thursday, Jan. 11, 2018 surrounded by family members, following a brief illness. Barbiece, as she preferred to be known, was born October 19, 1938, in Denver, CO., daughter of L B and Agnes Tapp. She grew to womanhood at various locations in the US and in several European countries, namely Germany and France, as her father was a career military member. She graduated from high school in Mascoutah, Illinois in 1956, then returned with her family for a second 3-year tour in Europe when her father was recalled to active duty and again assigned to European service. While living in France and Germany, she studied at the American Branch of the University of Munich, Germany, and taught kindergarten at Ramstein NATO Air Force Base, West Germany, 1957-59. Upon return to the States she studied at the Airline Training Institute, Kansas City, MO and worked in reservations for Frontier Airlines. She married H. Marvin Ness on April 8, 1961 at Christ the King Catholic Church in Denver and the couple settled in Brookings, SD for a five-year period before moving to Devils Lake, ND where they lived for nearly 40 years and raised their family of six children. During this time she worked at Ness Printing Co., and in ladies’ ready-to-wear clothing, book and music stores. She was an avid reader and a dedicated wife and mother who suffered from debilitating arthritis most of her adult life. Among her hobbies was a love of art, music and most of all, her children’s various school and church activities. She was a long time member of Beta Sigma Phi sorority, church altar societies, Catholic Daughters of the Americas, and in various civic activities. Among survivors are her husband, Marvin, of Fargo; five sons: Erik (Tammy), Ada, MN; Todd (Janell), Fargo; Tim (Tammy), Fargo; Dan (Nicole), Fargo; Jon (Kimberly), Lynchburg, VA; a daughter, Laura Ness (Steve) Owens, Fargo; a sister, Lorraine (Richard) Booker, Sienna Plantation, TX; 13 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and various relatives. She was preceded in death by her parents.