Cowlitz County WA Archives Obituaries.....Zelko, LaVonne Clair     March 16, 2006
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
P. J. Stepp steppmom5@hotmail.com April 4, 2006, 5:16 pm

Published in The Daily News on 3/23/2006. 
LaVonne Clair Zelko, 78, of Longview died March 16, 2006. 

She was born July 17, 1927 in Beatrice, Nebraska to Wilber and Faye (Arnett) 
Bain. They moved to Potlatch, Idaho where she lived on a farm. She spent most 
of her youth there before moving to Kelso around 1944 where she graduated from 
Kelso High School in 1946. She married Steve Erland (Bagge) and had two 
children, a son Danny Bagge, who died as an infant, and daughter, Rhonda 
Erland. She worked at the Country Club, The Elks and American Legion. Years 
later she married again to George S. Zelko Sr. and had a son, George Zelko. In 
the 70s she did crafts (professionally with macramé), wall hangings, and other 
types of decorating. In the 80s she moved to Mt. View, California and worked 
for a furniture retailer so she could be close to her new granddaughter, Erin 
McDougall. She moved back to Longview and worked for Parker's Sheet Metal when 
her second grandchild, Ashley Zelko, was born. Towards her retirement years, 
most of her time was spent doing arts and crafts. She loved to decorate and had 
a natural talent for creating beautiful flower arrangements, among many 
creations she did. She worked at a boutique mall and then opened a boutique 
store of her own, where she was well recognized for her wonderful flower 
arrangements and decorations. She liked antiques. The last several years she 
worked at Ye Old Paint Box and sold glass wear and other items on ebay while 
still making tons of interior decorations. You couldn't slow down her busy 
hands; that's what she loved to do! Her last greatest joy was her new great 
granddaughter Macy Zelko. LaVonne was preceded in death by her infant son Danny 
Bagge, husband George Zelko Sr. and brother Eldon Bain. She is survived by 
daughter Rhonda Erland, son-in-law Robin Frazee, son George Zelko, daughter-in-
law Brenda Baily, brother LaVern Bain, two granddaughters Erin McDougall and 
Ashley Zelko and great granddaughter Macy Zelko. Our family would like to give 
a very special thanks to all her friends that were really there for her and 
Hospice for making each moment as comfortable as possible. A Memorial Service 
will be held at Columbia Funeral Service on March 29th at 3:30 p.m. and a 
Celebration of Life pot luck to follow at the Longview American Legion. In Lieu 
of flowers, contributions can be made to Community Home Health and Hospice, 
P.O. Box 2067, Longview, WA 98632 

 
 


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The Daily News, Longview, WA     www.tdn.com

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