From the deepest depths of our hearts, thank you for sharing this moment in time with us.

As we come to celebrate Verna's, Mom's, Vern's, Grandma's life, we must first stop to thank our heavenly Father for allowing each of us the privilege of knowing such a unique and wonderful woman. In proverbs 31, Solomon describes the woman of "noble character who can find her?" We found it in Verna, didn't we? Solomon writes:

"Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks of nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
She is like the merchant ships, brining her food from afar.
She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls.
She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings, she plants a vineyard.
She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
She sees that trading is profitable and her lamp does not go out at night."


Solomon goes on to write+

"She is clothed with strength and dignity, she can laugh at the days to come.
She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Her children arise and called her blessed, her husband also, and he praises her.
Many women do noble things but you surpass them all.
Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."

Considering this passage, we visualize and remember the woman who has defined "noble character" for us.

So me of our best memories are envisioning her scurry here and there fixing a meal, helping with a project, surveying property or helping her children out of yet another "life crisis."

Gary shared recently that Mom was always his advocate and mentor. From Kindergarten on, her personality overflowed to benefit his situation because his teachers loved her, they, therefore, had to love him. Gary remembers telling Mom "he was so tired" on many occasions, which prompted her to rise before dawn to help him deliver "his" newspapers. He fondly remembers too little boy wondering off to Grandma's house only to be "found" by a crying mother who thought she had lost her beloved son. Mom made him and us feel secure.

Cindy remembers Mom's sacrifice. Cindy commented that one of her memories is Mom wearing the same winter coat for probably ten years, this was done so that the kids had the latest of their "wants" met. Verna's sacrifice was evident to the very end as she daily put aside her needs for the needs of her family and friends, wanting to make sure visitors were fed and family was happy.

Wendy cherishes Mom's counsel. Quick to find the good in all of her children, family and friends, she turned the darkest hour, whether it was a broken doll, a grade not achieved, or a philosophy not quite understood, into hope and encouragement.

Dale- Dad, trusted Mom to "pay the bills". Dad trusting anyone with that is no small accomplishment! But, Mom, through the years worked her magic in his life to become his banker, his chef, his housekeeper, his "fashion police", his general contractor, his counselor, his best friend, his everything, his life.

Gentle guidance, strong nurturing, a passionate drive for life and the Lord and unconditional love are Verna's legacies.

A sin life, Verna passed as an example for all of us. A strong woman to the end, Dad was never so proud of her than through what she displayed when her very essence was taken away day by day with the ravages of her illness. Fighting for life and her family, she refused to be defeated. Verna praised God daily through her last days for having blessed her for 75 years. She prayed diligently for miracles to occur in her family and others that she loved. She shared that God had been faithful to the end and she saw those prayers answered. Again, Mom was thinking most of others as she saw her own life slipping away and only wanted to be a witness for His eternal glory.

We, as her family, surrender her to the Lord and thank him for allowing us to be part of her life. Gary has joked about being Mom's favorite, but the truth is that Mom made us all feel special and accepted in out own way and we found our value in the value she placed on us.

We surrender Mom back to her heavenly Father to be reunited with friends and family who have left before. Our hope and God's promise is that we too will be united with her, that is the joy we have today as we experience the loss of her in this life. "Weeping endures only for a moment but joy comes in the morning". Mom does not want us to cry but to be happy in the Lord.

Thank you, Verna, Mom, for being a woman of noble character and for allowing us to see God's love through your hand and heart.

Our love and prayers to all of you as you face the joys and sorrows of this life and may you find what Mom wanted all of you to share and that is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

With gratitude and humility, Verna's family,

Dale, Gary, Cindy, Wendy, Brian, Dan, Rosie, Heather, Jay, Cory, Chris, Kelly, Lauren Bryanne, Kim, Brandi, Jenna and Eric.