Ivy Jean Laffoon

April 8, 1939 – September 13, 2023

A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 26 at Lakewood Memorial Park Chapel in Hughson for Ivy Jean Bridgford Silveira Bryant Laffoon, 84, of Ceres. She died Sept. 13, 2023 in Modesto. A graveside service will follow. There will be a reception and lunch provided following the services.

Visitation will be 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday Sept. 25 at Lakewood Memorial Park’s chapel. 

Ivy Jean Bridgford Silveira Bryant Laffoon was born in April 8, 1939 in San Diego to the parents of Ivy John and Ilene Bridgford.

She attended school at Mt. View Grammar School, Modesto High School and graduated from Turlock High School.

At the time of her passing, she had been married to Paul Laffoon for 47 years and together, they had children Mike Silveira (Vicki), John Silveira (Julia), Kim Laffoon-Perry (Manuel), Bret Silveira, Tim Laffoon and Joe Laffoon (Brenda). She was blessed with 12 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren.

Ivy was the matriarch of her family and was the glue that held everything together. Holidays and family gatherings were almost always at her home and her attention to detail and making sure everything was perfect for her friends and family was what made her the happiest. From little slips of paper with exactly what was to be in each serving dish to the words of our family prayer song printed and placed on each place setting just in case someone that didn’t know it could be a part of it. She was in her element when surrounded by all of her family and friends and until the very end, insisted on hosting our holiday events in her home.

In Ivy’s work life, she was almost always around food, whether it was owning Laffoon’s Restaurant, The Snack Shack or managing The Swiss Preztel for several years, providing wonderful food and serving people was what made her the happiest.

She was very active in the Ceres community by serving as the secretary-treasurer for the Ceres High School Booster Club for many years or by being the first elected city clerk for the city of Ceres where she was presented the “key to the city” by the mayor and city council.

Ivy was preceded in death by her parents, and two sisters, Sandra Hensley and Aredella (Judy) Balentine.

 –Ceres (Calif.) Courier

Wednesday, September 20, 2023