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MADISON - Lavon Ehart, age 83, passed away peacefully with loved ones by her side, on November 3, 2026, at Nazareth Health and Rehabilitation Center in Stoughton, Wis. She was born on December 18, 1942, on their beloved family farm in Richland County, Wis., to her parents, Floyd and Emma (nee Parduhn) Pauls. Lavon spent many days during her childhood deer hunting with her dad and spending time with her mother, whom she considered to be her best friend throughout her life.

In 1944, Lavon moved to Madison with her family and made it her home for many years. She graduated from East High School in 1960 and married Robert Harrison that same year. Together, they raised two daughters, Dawn and Kim, who remained at the heart of Lavon's life.

Lavon was proud of the life she built with her family and the impact she had on the lives of others. She dedicated the first 14 years of her career doing line work at Oscar Mayer, then followed her entrepreneurial spirit to operating a local bar and restaurant named the Kozy Inn for three years. Later, she became a certified nursing assistant, finding fulfillment in caring for older adults living with dementia. At home, she found joy in her hobby farm and her beloved animals, including sheep, horses, cows, cats and dogs.

During her life, Lavon spent much of her time outdoors and enjoyed sharing year-round experiences in nature with her loved ones. During the summers, she and her family would regularly take their camper to Lodi to spend a weekend with family, or she could be found riding horses or supporting her daughter, Kim, as she competed in horse and cow shows. In winter, she loved racing snowmobiles or traveling to Florida to escape the Wisconsin winter. No matter what time of year, Lavon also found community and camaraderie at the Madison Elks Lodge 410, where she was an active member for 40 years. She particularly loved playing cards with friends and family, and also enjoyed regular trips to Las Vegas where she often experienced exceptionally good luck on the slot machines.

After moving to Deerfield in 1999, Lavon retired as her health started to decline. She received a liver transplant in January 2001, and her transplant physicians shared that she was among the longest-living transplant patients from the University of Wisconsin Hospital system. Her long life was shaped by resilience, the desire to connect with others, and a love for her friends and family.

Even in her older years, Lavon found plenty of ways to enrich her life and the lives of those around her. She was known for her large plots of bountiful tomato plants, whose harvests she loved to share with her family. She is also remembered by her grandchildren as always having a jar of candy in her kitchen and a treat in her purse that she bought just for them, a kind gesture she picked up from her mother.

Some of Lavon’s dearest friendships began in high school, where she met her lifelong friends, Nancy McFadden, Nancy Day and Ginny Johnson. They prioritized the friendship they had built over their whole lives, meeting monthly for breakfast to catch up and share time together.

Lavon is survived by her daughters, Dawn (Glenn Brusky) Redding of Waukesha, Wis., and Kim (Dan) Golfinos of Madison, Wis.; grandchildren, Anna Redding of Berlin, Germany, Nicholas Redding of Waukesha, Athena (Shaun) Golfinos-Owens of Gurnee, Ill., and Danny Golfinos of Madison; longtime partner, Mike McManamy; and godson, Randy Pauls. She was preceded in death by her mother, Emma Pauls; father, Floyd Pauls; stepmother, Vera Pauls; brother Allen Pauls; sister-in-law, Donna Pauls; and son-in-law, Ken Redding.

A visitation will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, from 11 a.m. until 12 noon on Thursday, November 12, 2026, with a funeral service beginning at 12 noon. Burial will follow at Burke Lutheran Cemetery, 5720 Portage Road, Madison.

Lavon will be warmly remembered as a social butterfly with a passion for animals and a taste for outdoor adventure. She took pride in her work caring for others with dementia, and her family is grateful for the caregivers at Nazareth for offering the same warm and welcoming care to Lavon that she offered to so many others throughout her life.

Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson East
Funeral & Cremation Care
5203 Monona Drive
(608) 221-5420

Lavon Ehart

December 18, 1942 - November 03, 2026

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