Verda E. Brown, the daughter of John V. and Bertha (Burlett) Kelley, was born September 7, 1920 at her parent's farm home near Batavia, Iowa and left this life at the age of 94 on November 27, 2014 at the Regency Park Care Center in Jefferson.
Verda was raised on a eighty acres farm northwest of Batavia and started school in a one room country school near her parent's home. She later graduated from the Ottumwa High School in Ottumwa, Iowa in 1937.
Verda Kelley was married to Richard (Dick) Brown on September 30, 1937 at the Christian Church in Kirksville, Missouri. Four children were born to this union; Jeannie, Gary, Steve and Reg.
After their marriage, they lived in St. Louis, Missouri during the time Dick attended Mortuary School and then in Ottumwa where Dick was an apprentice funeral director. Verda assisted Dick in the funeral business over the years. Always wanting to give their family a better life, they lived in many communities. Dick managed or worked at funeral homes in Decorah, Marengo, Chariton, Ottumwa, Knoxville, Pella, Marshalltown and Superior, Nebraska.
Dick and Verda owned a funeral home and furniture store in Milton during the late 40s and early 50s and purchased the funeral home in Lohrville in 1964. They opened funeral homes in Farnhamville, Churdan and Paton during the 60s and 70s. Before coming to Lohrville, Verda worked in various jobs to supplement the family's income.
Dick passed away in 1976, and Verda continued to make her home in Lohrville. On November 30, 2010, there was a fire at 2 A.M. at the Lohrville funeral home where Verda lived in an upstairs apartment. Thanks to an unknown truck driver who saw the fire and the Lohrville Fire Department who carried Verda from her apartment, she was able to have an additional three years of life. She moved to an apartment in Jefferson in 2011.
Verda was a member of the Lohrville United Methodist Church, a 50 year member of the Order of Eastern Star and was active in the Community Club, Garden Club and Senior Citizens in Lohrville.
Verda's life was her family, friends and her dogs of which the family had nine Chihuahuas and two boxers.
She is survived by her children; Jeanie (Jack) Brockway of Pella, Gary of Omaha, Steve (Ellie) of Jefferson and Reg (Bindy) of Des Moines, nine grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, triplet stillborn daughters, a brother, Bernard Kelley, a sister, Cecile Harshman, one granddaughter Tammy and one great-grandson Terrance.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, December 3, 2014 at 10:00 A.M. at the Brown Funeral Home in Churdan with Rev. David Arulnathan and Pastor Sue Thomas officiating with burial in the Batavia Cemetery at Batavia, Iowa. Musical selections "One Day at a Time" and "Sheltered in the Arms of God" were sung by Kathryn Meyers.
Obituary source: Brown Funeral Homes, Inc.
Verda was raised on a eighty acres farm northwest of Batavia and started school in a one room country school near her parent's home. She later graduated from the Ottumwa High School in Ottumwa, Iowa in 1937.
Verda Kelley was married to Richard (Dick) Brown on September 30, 1937 at the Christian Church in Kirksville, Missouri. Four children were born to this union; Jeannie, Gary, Steve and Reg.
After their marriage, they lived in St. Louis, Missouri during the time Dick attended Mortuary School and then in Ottumwa where Dick was an apprentice funeral director. Verda assisted Dick in the funeral business over the years. Always wanting to give their family a better life, they lived in many communities. Dick managed or worked at funeral homes in Decorah, Marengo, Chariton, Ottumwa, Knoxville, Pella, Marshalltown and Superior, Nebraska.
Dick and Verda owned a funeral home and furniture store in Milton during the late 40s and early 50s and purchased the funeral home in Lohrville in 1964. They opened funeral homes in Farnhamville, Churdan and Paton during the 60s and 70s. Before coming to Lohrville, Verda worked in various jobs to supplement the family's income.
Dick passed away in 1976, and Verda continued to make her home in Lohrville. On November 30, 2010, there was a fire at 2 A.M. at the Lohrville funeral home where Verda lived in an upstairs apartment. Thanks to an unknown truck driver who saw the fire and the Lohrville Fire Department who carried Verda from her apartment, she was able to have an additional three years of life. She moved to an apartment in Jefferson in 2011.
Verda was a member of the Lohrville United Methodist Church, a 50 year member of the Order of Eastern Star and was active in the Community Club, Garden Club and Senior Citizens in Lohrville.
Verda's life was her family, friends and her dogs of which the family had nine Chihuahuas and two boxers.
She is survived by her children; Jeanie (Jack) Brockway of Pella, Gary of Omaha, Steve (Ellie) of Jefferson and Reg (Bindy) of Des Moines, nine grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, triplet stillborn daughters, a brother, Bernard Kelley, a sister, Cecile Harshman, one granddaughter Tammy and one great-grandson Terrance.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, December 3, 2014 at 10:00 A.M. at the Brown Funeral Home in Churdan with Rev. David Arulnathan and Pastor Sue Thomas officiating with burial in the Batavia Cemetery at Batavia, Iowa. Musical selections "One Day at a Time" and "Sheltered in the Arms of God" were sung by Kathryn Meyers.
Obituary source: Brown Funeral Homes, Inc.
Verda E. Brown, the daughter of John V. and Bertha (Burlett) Kelley, was born September 7, 1920 at her parent's farm home near Batavia, Iowa and left this life at the age of 94 on November 27, 2014 at the Regency Park Care Center in Jefferson.
Verda was raised on a eighty acres farm northwest of Batavia and started school in a one room country school near her parent's home. She later graduated from the Ottumwa High School in Ottumwa, Iowa in 1937.
Verda Kelley was married to Richard (Dick) Brown on September 30, 1937 at the Christian Church in Kirksville, Missouri. Four children were born to this union; Jeannie, Gary, Steve and Reg.
After their marriage, they lived in St. Louis, Missouri during the time Dick attended Mortuary School and then in Ottumwa where Dick was an apprentice funeral director. Verda assisted Dick in the funeral business over the years. Always wanting to give their family a better life, they lived in many communities. Dick managed or worked at funeral homes in Decorah, Marengo, Chariton, Ottumwa, Knoxville, Pella, Marshalltown and Superior, Nebraska.
Dick and Verda owned a funeral home and furniture store in Milton during the late 40s and early 50s and purchased the funeral home in Lohrville in 1964. They opened funeral homes in Farnhamville, Churdan and Paton during the 60s and 70s. Before coming to Lohrville, Verda worked in various jobs to supplement the family's income.
Dick passed away in 1976, and Verda continued to make her home in Lohrville. On November 30, 2010, there was a fire at 2 A.M. at the Lohrville funeral home where Verda lived in an upstairs apartment. Thanks to an unknown truck driver who saw the fire and the Lohrville Fire Department who carried Verda from her apartment, she was able to have an additional three years of life. She moved to an apartment in Jefferson in 2011.
Verda was a member of the Lohrville United Methodist Church, a 50 year member of the Order of Eastern Star and was active in the Community Club, Garden Club and Senior Citizens in Lohrville.
Verda's life was her family, friends and her dogs of which the family had nine Chihuahuas and two boxers.
She is survived by her children; Jeanie (Jack) Brockway of Pella, Gary of Omaha, Steve (Ellie) of Jefferson and Reg (Bindy) of Des Moines, nine grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, triplet stillborn daughters, a brother, Bernard Kelley, a sister, Cecile Harshman, one granddaughter Tammy and one great-grandson Terrance.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, December 3, 2014 at 10:00 A.M. at the Brown Funeral Home in Churdan with Rev. David Arulnathan and Pastor Sue Thomas officiating with burial in the Batavia Cemetery at Batavia, Iowa. Musical selections "One Day at a Time" and "Sheltered in the Arms of God" were sung by Kathryn Meyers.
Obituary source: Brown Funeral Homes, Inc.
Verda was raised on a eighty acres farm northwest of Batavia and started school in a one room country school near her parent's home. She later graduated from the Ottumwa High School in Ottumwa, Iowa in 1937.
Verda Kelley was married to Richard (Dick) Brown on September 30, 1937 at the Christian Church in Kirksville, Missouri. Four children were born to this union; Jeannie, Gary, Steve and Reg.
After their marriage, they lived in St. Louis, Missouri during the time Dick attended Mortuary School and then in Ottumwa where Dick was an apprentice funeral director. Verda assisted Dick in the funeral business over the years. Always wanting to give their family a better life, they lived in many communities. Dick managed or worked at funeral homes in Decorah, Marengo, Chariton, Ottumwa, Knoxville, Pella, Marshalltown and Superior, Nebraska.
Dick and Verda owned a funeral home and furniture store in Milton during the late 40s and early 50s and purchased the funeral home in Lohrville in 1964. They opened funeral homes in Farnhamville, Churdan and Paton during the 60s and 70s. Before coming to Lohrville, Verda worked in various jobs to supplement the family's income.
Dick passed away in 1976, and Verda continued to make her home in Lohrville. On November 30, 2010, there was a fire at 2 A.M. at the Lohrville funeral home where Verda lived in an upstairs apartment. Thanks to an unknown truck driver who saw the fire and the Lohrville Fire Department who carried Verda from her apartment, she was able to have an additional three years of life. She moved to an apartment in Jefferson in 2011.
Verda was a member of the Lohrville United Methodist Church, a 50 year member of the Order of Eastern Star and was active in the Community Club, Garden Club and Senior Citizens in Lohrville.
Verda's life was her family, friends and her dogs of which the family had nine Chihuahuas and two boxers.
She is survived by her children; Jeanie (Jack) Brockway of Pella, Gary of Omaha, Steve (Ellie) of Jefferson and Reg (Bindy) of Des Moines, nine grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, triplet stillborn daughters, a brother, Bernard Kelley, a sister, Cecile Harshman, one granddaughter Tammy and one great-grandson Terrance.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, December 3, 2014 at 10:00 A.M. at the Brown Funeral Home in Churdan with Rev. David Arulnathan and Pastor Sue Thomas officiating with burial in the Batavia Cemetery at Batavia, Iowa. Musical selections "One Day at a Time" and "Sheltered in the Arms of God" were sung by Kathryn Meyers.
Obituary source: Brown Funeral Homes, Inc.
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