Everit Levern Heggelund, longtime resident of Beaverlodge, previously Valhalla Centre area, passed away at the Beaverlodge Hospital on Friday, October 6, 2017, at the age of 89 years, with family by his side.

Through the help of family and community services, Levern was able to remain in the home that he built and loved so dearly, until one year ago, when he moved to the Hythe Pioneer Lodge. He was born the oldest child of Ingvart and Myrtle Heggelund in his grandparents’ home on the farm near Valhalla Centre on April 6, 1928. Levern obtained grade school education at Blooming Valley School before entering the workforce at a young age. He married Mona Kinvig in 1948 and together they raised five children.

Talented at anything Levern set his mind to, he excelled in woodworking, making a career in carpentry, along with farming as a second passion. Many commercial and residential buildings in the area still stand tall today due to Levern’s expert craftsmanship.

He loved camping and fishing in his spare time and fabricated a few wooden boats to enhance this experience. In his retirement years Levern became a luthier, constructing numerous stringed instruments in his workshop while repairing those of others.

Levern is survived by his daughter Veronica (Gary) Brown of Grande Prairie; sons: Lionel (Colleen) of Prince George, Aubrey (Esther) of Sexsmith, and Ashley (Dorothy) of Beaverlodge; son in-law John Koopmans of Kelowna; sisters: Muriel Farley of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and Lila (Arnie) Kjemhus of Grande Prairie; and a continuing legacy of 10 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

He was predeceased by his wife of 64 years Mona, daughter Sharon Koopmans, parents Ingvart and Myrtle Heggelund, infant sister Sylvia, brother in-law James Farley and in-laws William and Christine Kinvig.

The family wishes to extend their sincere appreciation to the staff at the Beaverlodge Hospital for the exceptional care and attention given to Levern during his stay.

A Celebration of Levern’s Life will take place on Saturday, October 14, 2017, at 2:00pm, at the Valhalla Evangelical Lutheran Church in Valhalla Centre, AB, with Pastor Steve Forbes officiating. Interment to follow in the Valhalla Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Valhalla Cemetery (Box 21, Valhalla Center, AB, T0H 3M0) or the Valhalla Community School Healthy Snack Program (Box 143, Valhalla Centre, AB T0H 3M0).