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Verla Sperry
VERLA SPERRY
Oelwein
Verla Sperry, 94, of Oelwein, passed away on Saturday, April 14, 2018, at her home surrounded by her family. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 18, 2018, at Geilenfeld Funeral Home in Oelwein and for one hour before the service at church on Thursday. Funeral services will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 19, 2018, at Grace United Methodist Church in Oelwein with the Rev. Connie Markle officiating. Memorials may be directed to the family. For condolences, please visit www.geilenfeldfh.com.
Verla May Sperry was born May 28, 1923, on the family farm near Oelwein to parents Harry and Elsie (Kraft) Lincoln. She graduated from Strawberry Point High School in 1941 after growing up in the Strawberry Point area on a farm. Verla married Albert Sperry at Grace United Methodist Church in Oelwein on June 12, 1949, and stated this was one of the happiest days of her life. They lived in the Oelwein area since their marriage. Albert passed away after 43 years of marriage in 1992.
Verla had been employed with City Laundering and as a secretary at Retail Credit. She volunteered at the Fontana Nature Center and helped with Lifeserve Blood Drive.
Verla enjoyed cooking, holiday get-togethers with family, maintaining her yard and plants and, most of all, her four children, nine grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. She also enjoyed sports, especially wrestling, as she had someone on a team since 1962 in Oelwein, Gladbrook, Independence and Wapsie Valley schools. She idolized Elvis Presley, Dan Gable and Lawrence Welk.
She is survived by her children, Bruce (Susan) Sperry of Waterloo, Peggy (Denny) Schrader of Hazleton and Debbie (Shannon) Hershey of Brooklyn; her sisters-in-law, Wilma Lincoln and Isella Sperry Smith; and her son in-law, Bill Ziegler.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Albert; her sisters, Arlene Gerdes, Avis Higgins, Evaline Niehaus and Donna Lincoln; her brothers, Charles and Robert Lincoln; and her daughter, Mary Beth Ziegler.
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