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Thole, Verna Mae
Verna Mae Thole, 81, of Arlington, died Saturday, March 17, 2012, at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids. Mass of Resurrection: 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 20, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Strawberry Point. The Very Rev. Paul Peters will officiate. Visitation: 2 to 8 p.m. Monday at Leonard-Muller Funeral Home in Strawberry Point, with a 4 p.m. rosary service and a 7 p.m. Scripture service. Visitation also will be one hour before services at the church on Tuesday. Interment: St. Albert's Cemetery, rural Lamont.
She was born April 2, 1930, in Sand Springs, Iowa, the daughter of Edward Joseph and Matilda (Crim) Offerman. Verna was raised and educated in the Buck Creek area and attended rural country school. Verna was united in marriage to Joseph Sylvester Thole on Sept. 28, 1948, in Sand Springs. Seven children were born to this union. Together they farmed in rural Edgewood until 1954, when they moved to their farm in rural Arlington.
Verna was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church and Southside Community Club. She loved her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, sewing, and gardening. Verna took great pride in her lawn. At the age of 65, she started her first job outside the home at the Arlington Medical Clinic, working there until the fall of 2011.
Survivors include her husband, Joseph Thole of Arlington; six children, Thresa Sadler of Fairbank, JoAnn (Nick) Hayes of Arlington, Dan (Jan) Thole of Strawberry Point, Don (Teresa) Thole of Arlington, Ron (Carrie) Thole of Strawberry Point and Renee (Eric) Farber of Minburn; 27 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; three brothers, Robert Offerman of Prairieburg, Virgil Offerman of Marion and Lyle Offerman of Cedar Rapids; and a son-in-law, Dean (Kathy) Streicher of Strawberry Point.
Verna was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Matilda Offerman; her daughter, Diane Streicher; one son-in-law, Gary Sadler; her sister, Helen Wilson; and two brothers, “Bud” and Andy Offerman.
Online condolences may be sent to www.leonard-mullerfh.com.
Published March 19, 2012 in The Gazette
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