Verla Ina Keith's Obituary
Verla Ina Keith, age 91, a resident of Rose Hill, Kansas passed away Friday, March 9, 2012 at Via Christi St. Joseph in Wichita, Kansas. She was born as a twin on December 20, 1920 to James Walker and Belva Odessa (Hammon) Keith on a farm nine miles west of Burlington, Kansas.
During World War II, Verla enlisted in the Navy Waves. When the war ended in 1945, she was held over for several months then given her discharge papers April 1946. She worked for the federal government in Washington, D.C. in communications and in 1949 accepted a job with National Airlines in Pensacola Florida. In 1963 Verla returned to Emporia, Kansas and in 1964 went to work for Kansas State Teachers College, now called Emporia State University working in mail service for almost 30 years. As time went on, the General Office was closed and the mail service was upgraded and moved to a new location. Verla became supervisor and held that position until retirement in November 1993. She moved to a home in Howard, Kansas and remained there until she could no longer live alone. She stayed with James and his wife and daughter for several years till she fell and broke her leg. She resided in the Howard Twilight Nursing Home and Lakepoint of Rose Hill until her death March 9, 2012.
Verla leaves to cherish her memory: son, James Keith and his wife, Fonetta of Rose Hill, KS; granddaughters, Valery of Rose Hill, KS and Michelle Hogan of Howard, KS; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; James Walker and Belva Odessa Keith; three brothers; Howard Franklin, James Melvin, and Vernon Ivan Keith; and two sisters, Glenna Eisle and Donna Bush.
Graveside funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at the Strawn Cemetery in rural Coffey County, Kansas. Family suggests memorials to the Flint Hills Assembly of God and may be left with the funeral home. Online condolences may be left at www.countrysidefh.com. Arrangements are entrusted to Countryside – Zimmerman Funeral Home, Howard, Kansas.
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