Laverne Mace Jacob, 92, Hamilton, MO, passed away on February 20, 2020, in Hamilton.  Laverne was born September 1, 1927, in Brookfield, MO, to Verne and Lavenia McNish Mace.  She grew up in Linneus, MO, where she graduated from high school in 1945.  She attended Drury College and Tarkio College, where she received her bachelor's degree.  After getting married and relocating several times in Missouri and Oklahoma, she and her family settled in Fayette, MO, in 1958 where she worked for Linn Memorial United Methodist Church and took additional college classes from and taught literature at Central Methodist College.  She moved to New London, MO, in 1970 to teach English at Center High School.  In 1975 she became house mother for Chi Omega sorority at William Woods College in Fulton, MO.  While there, she received her library science certification.  In 1980, she moved to Hamilton to join the staff at JC Penney High School as librarian until retiring in 1992.  From 1997 until retiring (again) in 2007, she was employed by the New York R-IV School District near Hamilton as school librarian.

Laverne loved to read and in her roles as educator and school librarian took every opportunity to encourage youth to read.  In her later years, her favorite outing was for her daughter Lura to take her to St. Joseph to eat lunch at Panera and then go to Books Revisited, the Rolling Hills Library used bookstore.  She served as pianist for many years for the Gallatin Presbyterian Church and was a 70-year member of P.E.O. belonging to Chapter N in Hamilton.

Laverne was predeceased by her parents; her daughter, Martha Nixon; and her sister, Lois Baskett.  She is survived by her daughter, Lura Ann McAllister (David), Jefferson City; five grandchildren:  Eric McAllister, Dallas, TX; Ryan McAllister, Columbia; Kielly McGinley (Donnie), Polo; Branon Ralston (Tammy), Kansas City; and Jake Nixon (Katharine), Columbia; two great-grandchildren:  Dylan King (Molly), Polo; and Gavin Ralston, Kansas City; and two great-great-grandchildren, Chloe King and Parker King, Polo.  A treasure is the five-generation picture taken in October 2016 of Laverne, Martha, Kielly, Dylan and Chloe.  She is also survived by two nieces:  Barbara Baskett, Murray, UT; and Georgia Baskett, Martin, TN; and her neighbors and friends, Judy Firth and James Payne, whose loving care and friendship helped her to continue to live on her own until very recently.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the St. Joseph, MO, Rolling Hills Library's STAR (Service to Adult Readers) Program would be greatly appreciated in recognition of Laverne's thirst for knowledge and desire for others to be exposed to the wonders of reading.

Cremation has been entrusted to Bram Funeral Home, Hamilton.

Memorial Service:  2 p.m., Saturday, February 29, 2020, at Bram Funeral Home, Hamilton.

Visitation:  1 hour prior to the service, 1 to 2 p.m., Feb. 29, at the funeral home.

Inurnment:  RoseHill Cemetery, Brookfield, MO.