May 25, 1926 - January 15, 2016

Verna was born in Colton, Oregon, in rural Clackamas County, the 5th of 5 sisters, 4 of which lived into adulthood. Her parents were John Henry Melvin (Mel) Marx, a postal carrier for Clackamas County No. 1 and an unordained minister, and Helena Teresa (Lena) Putz Marx. She grew up in Colton, Oregon and lived there until she graduated from Colton High School. After high school, she worked briefly in the shipyards alongside her sisters, Elvera, Louise, and Evangeline, and was well known not only for her long well-manicured fingernails but her ability to climb inside small enclosed areas to weld, because of her small stature.

She attended Pacific University where she met her first husband, Ernest Eugene Beaver, known to Verna and family as "Gene" and to everyone else as "Ernie." Upon their engagement, Gene wheeled her across campus in a wheelbarrow as was the custom at Pacific at that time.She was married to Gene for 50 years, moving around Oregon as Gene taught school in Florence, North Bend and finally in Salem. During her marriage she raised two children to adulthood, Mac Parker and Diane Brown. She was an expert homemaker, and was well known for not only her cooking and pie making, but especially for her costume making skills, displayed each Halloween as she dressed in costume at her exercise class which she attended for 41 years. Gene passed away of cancer only 4 short months after their 50th anniversary.

After Gene's passing, she was desperately lonely and alone, until at a church function she met Lloyd Klassen who rescued her from her loneliness. How glorious it was to meet a man and fall in love at age 73 and marry him just 2 days after her 74th birthday. This was the second time she had robbed the cradle by marrying a younger man! She and Lloyd were married for 15 wonderful years, rarely ever leaving each other's side, even in her last days. Each and every day they expressed their love for each other.

Verna will be sorely missed by all who knew her. We will miss her devotion to church and to family and her positive and fun-loving attitude and sense of humor.She leaves behind her devoted and loving husband Lloyd; her two children, Mac Parker and Diane (Tim) Woodard; numerous beloved family members she inherited by marriage to Lloyd; and her nieces and nephews who loved her dearly.Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday, January 23, at 10 AM at Salem First Church of the Nazarene, 1550 Market St NE, Salem 97301.