Verna Bessie Brown

BROWN, PETERSON, SWANSON, NELSON, RECK, HAM, KEPNER

Posted By: dbeier (email)
Date: 2/28/2008 at 17:55:29

Independence - Verna Bessie Brown, 99 years old, of Independence, Iowa, died on Sunday, October 21, 2007, at West Village Care Center in Independence following a long illness. She was born on November 19, 1907, in Bureau County, Illinois, the daughter of Swan and Matie Mary (Peterson) Swanson. She attended school in Winthrop, Iowa. On November 4, 1925, she and Leo Hans Nelson were married at the Methodist Church in Independence, Iowa. He preceded her in death in 1943. In July of 1947, she and Lawrence Brown were married at the Methodist Church in Winthrop, Iowa. He preceded her in death in 1956. Mrs. Brown was a cook at the East Buchanan School in Winthrop, Iowa, from 1943 until she retired in 1981. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Independence and she was formerly a member of the Kings’ Daughters.
Mrs. Brown is survived by 2 daughters, Waneita Reck of Independence, Iowa, and Karen (Dennis) Ham of Center Point, Iowa, and 1 son, Kenneth Nelson of Belleville, Wisconsin, 10 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren, and 3 great great grandchildren.
In addition to her husbands, she was preceded in death by her parents, 2 brothers, Wilbur Swanson and Glen Swanson, 2 sisters, Iva Kepner and an infant, and twin granddaughters.
Funeral Services were held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 25, 2007, at the White Funeral Home in Independence, Iowa, with Dr. David A. Larson officiating. Casket Bearers were Jim Ham, Dean Reck, Dale Reck, David Reck, and Randy Nelson. Burial was in Fairview Cemetery in Winthrop, Iowa.