Laverne Floyd

Mrs. Vivian "LaVerne" Floyd, age 82 of Cookeville was born Thursday November 28, 1935 in Durant, Oklahoma to the late Marvin and Johnnie Pruit Baldwin. Laverne attended elementary schools in Oklahoma and Texas and graduated from Paoli, Oklahoma High School. She then studied Medical Technology at East Central College in Ada, Oklahoma, where she met her future husband, Joe M. Floyd. The couple moved to Stillwater, OK so Joe could attend graduate school at Oklahoma State University. In Stillwater their first child, Joe Michael Floyd, was born and Joe graduated from Oklahoma State. After graduation, the couple moved to Ada where Joe taught in the City School System. While in Ada, they had their second child, Cindy Kay Floyd Hill, and LaVerne completed her undergraduate education, receiving her Bachelor of Science Degrees in both Medical Technology and Education. She was later certified as a Medical Technologist by the American Society of Clinical Pathologists. LaVerne moved with her family to Navasota, Texas where Joe enrolled in the graduate school in the College of Engineering Department of Industrial Technology. LaVerne taught at the Navasota Elementary School and worked in the evenings at the local hospital. The arrangement lasted for two years. When Joe completed his course work, they decided to move to Cookeville, where he was employed at Tennessee Tech University Department of Industrial Technology. After two years of teaching at Tech Campus school, LaVerne had the opportunity to teach within her field of major interest, Medical Technology. After a few years of teaching, she had the opportunity to purchase the school, which was a division of the International Clinical Laboratories. The school had been started to provide Medical Lab Technicians for the rural hospitals in Tennessee and Kentucky. After becoming the sole owner of the school, the name was changed to Cumberland School of Technology to enable additional programs such as Medical Secretary and Business and Computer Education. During the early period of ownership, LaVerne obtained affiliation with seven universities in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia and others. Her school provided the fourth year of clinical education to meet the requirements of graduation from the universities that granted the B.S. Degree in Medical Technology. A school of Computer Education was planned in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and was her first venture outside of Cookeville. She was invited by a major lab company to establish a school for Medical Technology in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The school was successful and during the same period of time, LaVerne had an opportunity to purchase Middle Tennessee School of Cosmetology. She later sold an interest in the Cosmetology School and it was moved to Atlanta. The reputation of the Medical Technology School grew and LaVerne had the opportunity to sell the school. The Cookeville and Baton Rouge locations were renamed Medvance. LaVerne continued as an employee for a short period of time and continued to work as a Medical Tech Consultant. She also purchased several commercial and residential properties and established a family-owned business, Floyd Properties. She managed these properties successfully until her death. She will be long remembered as a true champion for the field of Medical Technology and as an advocate for students. In addition to her parent, she was preceded in death by a sister, Marlene Meyers. She is survived by her husband, Joe Floyd, son, J. Michael Floyd, and daughter, Cindy Hill all of Cookeville; three brothers, J.M. (Janet) Baldwin of Springfield, TN, Ronnie (Frances) Baldwin of Cookeville, Charles (Velda) Keen of Houston, TX; one grandchild, Lizbeth Ashley Hill of Cookeville. Entombment services for LaVerne will be held Tuesday, November 27 at 1:00 pm at Crest Lawn Cemetery and Mausoleums with Dr. Charles McCaskey officiating. The family will receive friends after the service at the cemetery. Hooper Huddleston & Horner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. You may share your thoughts and memories at hhhfunerals.com