KEITH, Verla Ina - b. December 20, 1920 - d. March 9, 2012

[patyrn]

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 U.S. Navy Waves.  When the war ended in 1945, she was held over for several months and then given her discharge papers April 1946.  She worked for the federal government in Washington,m 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, she 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 until she fell and broke her leg.  She resided in the Howard Twilight Manor Nursing Home and Lakepoint of Rose Hill until her death.

Verla leaves to cherish her memory her son, James Keith and his wife, Fonetta of Rose Hill, Kansas; granddaughters, Valery of Rose Hill, Kansas and Michelle Hogan of Howard, Kansas; 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 Church 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, P.O. Box 1233, Howard, Kansas 67349.

(taken from the Countryside Funeral Home website)