Laverne H. Dubenion

"Mrs. Laverne H. Dubenion, age 94, loving wife of the late Walter Dubenion of Westerville, passed the morning of Friday, October 10th at Otterbein Senior Living in New Albany. She was the first daughter of the late Freeman Walker and Tabitha (Whitfield) Hightower of Binghamton, NY. She was born on October 1st, 1931.

‍‍She is survived by two daughters Lisa Wilson and her husband, Ivone Fomby of Worthington, OH; Sara Wilson and her wife, Teresa (TK) Jensen of Austin, TX; three grandchildren, Louis, Jasmine, and Astara; two great-granddaughters, Isabella and Alexandria; a brother, John Hightower of NY; and eight nieces and nephews. She also leaves many other family members and friends who live in Binghamton NY, Atlanta, GA, Lima, Worthington, and Westerville, OH, who will sadly miss her.

LaVerne was preceded in death by her husband Walter Dubenion; her parents, Freeman and Tabitha; a sister, Janice (Hightower) Thomas and a brother, Freeman Hightower, Jr.; and her former husband, Ted S Wilson, father of Lisa and Sara.

Growing up in Binghamton, LaVerne began her love for Christ at Trinity AME Zion Church and was a member of Mt Olivet Baptist Church in Columbus. In a Binghamton Press feature article, at age 22, LaVerne was celebrated for being the first “Negro” to graduate from Binghamton City Hospital of Nursing. She then spent the next 60 years working as a RN. Besides work and the church, throughout her life she enjoyed shopping, politics, music, entertaining, and spoiling her grandchildren.‍

Memorial Visitation will be held on Friday, October 17th, 2025 from 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm with a Memorial Service immediately following at Diehl-Whittaker Funeral Service 1370 East Main Street, Columbus, Ohio 43205.

To leave a message of condolence please visit her Guest Book.