Vernelle Darlene (Hoggard) Willming

VERNELLE DARLENE (HOGGARD) WILLMING

Keizer, Ore.

Vernelle Darlene (Hoggard) Willming, 89, of Keizer, Ore., and formerly of Portsmouth, Mount Vernon and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away in Salem, Ore., after a prolonged fight with cancer on Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2017.

A memorial service was held in Eugene, Ore., at Westminster Presbyterian Church on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2018.

A graveside service will be held on Friday, Sept. 21, at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Vernelle's parents and her son, Mark, also are buried there.

Vernelle is survived by her spouse, the Rev. Charles O. Willming; children, Ann Field, Debra McHolick, Paul Willming and Pam Willming; 10 grandchildren; and her sisters, Millicent Zenishek and Wiladene Willming.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Verna Hoggard; sister, Lorrine Reiger; son, Mark; and granddaughter, Vanessa Field.

Vernelle was born on Jan. 2, 1928, in Portsmouth, Iowa, to William and Verna (Hall) Hoggard. She graduated from Mount Vernon High School in 1945. She then held clerical positions with newspaper companies and law firms. She soon moved to Cedar Rapids where she took a job with the Cedar Rapids Gazette while finishing business school. She later moved to Hollywood, Calif., to work at Whitman Publishing Co.

After a year, she returned to Iowa, where she met and soon married Charles O. Willming in 1953. Due to military and church assignments, they lived in Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico and Washington state before settling in Oregon. As a resident of The Dalles and Eugene, Vernelle stayed active in the community and church. While in Eugene, she worked for the Wilani Council of Camp Fire Girls Inc. From Oregon, the couple moved to Bozeman, Mont., before retiring to Keizer, Ore.

Vernelle and Charles enjoyed traveling, as well as living abroad in Great Britain and New Zealand.

Memorial donations may be made to the cancer organization or hospital of your choice.