Verelda Schwery
March 24, 1927 — May 25, 2014
Verelda Schwery, daughter of Adolph and Theresa (Muschitz) Schmitz, was born on March 24, 1927 on the family farm outside Westphalia, Iowa. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Westphalia. She attended and graduated from St. Boniface Catholic School. After graduating high school, Verelda remained at home helping on the family farm.
On October 1, 1947, she was united in marriage to Melvin Schwery of Panama, Iowa at St. Boniface Catholic Church. Eight children were born to this union: Lyle, Myron, Michael, Russell, twins Joel and Jolene, Keith and Michelle. They raised their children on the Schwery family farm where Melvin was born and raised outside of Panama, Iowa.
Verelda was active in the Panama community helping with many wedding and funeral dinners through the years. She served on the Parish Council for St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church, was vice-president and president of the ladies guild and taught CCD for many years. She dearly loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She also enjoyed her ladies birthday clubs and tending to her roses and other flowers in her huge garden every spring and summer.
Verelda was an avid baker and always had homemade bread, rolls or cookies ready for any company that stopped by. She loved BINGO and getting together with her friends for lunch or dinner. She was a long time member of St. Mary’s of the Assumption Church in Panama and later a member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church when they moved to Harlan in 2000. She was also an active member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court of St. Katherine 266 for many years. Melvin and Verelda loved to dance and enjoyed the many friends they met through dancing.
She died at her home in Harlan on Sunday, May 25, 2014 having attained the age of eighty-seven years, two months and one day. In addition to her parents, Verelda was preceded in death by her husband in 2002, son Russell on May 28, 1976; her brother Francis Schmitz; sisters: Mary Ann Klein, Delores Obrecht and Verdella Schill and her daughter-in-law Barbara Schwery.
Verelda is survived by her children: Lyle Schwery and his wife Jolene of St. Charles, Iowa; Myron Schwery and his wife Chris of Olathe, Kansas; Michael Schwery and his wife Jacque of Blair, Nebraska; Joel Schwery of Olathe, Kansas; Jolene and her husband Larry Brown of Fremont, Nebraska; Keith Schwery and his wife Eileen of Panama and Michelle and her husband Samuel Ferguson of Omaha, Nebraska; 21 grandchildren; 21 great grandchildren; her sister, Theresa Goetz of Irwin, Iowa; her sister-in-law, Norma Schmitz of Denison, Iowa; nieces and nephews, other relatives and many friends.
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On October 1, 1947, she was united in marriage to Melvin Schwery of Panama, Iowa at St. Boniface Catholic Church. Eight children were born to this union: Lyle, Myron, Michael, Russell, twins Joel and Jolene, Keith and Michelle. They raised their children on the Schwery family farm where Melvin was born and raised outside of Panama, Iowa.
Verelda was active in the Panama community helping with many wedding and funeral dinners through the years. She served on the Parish Council for St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church, was vice-president and president of the ladies guild and taught CCD for many years. She dearly loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She also enjoyed her ladies birthday clubs and tending to her roses and other flowers in her huge garden every spring and summer.
Verelda was an avid baker and always had homemade bread, rolls or cookies ready for any company that stopped by. She loved BINGO and getting together with her friends for lunch or dinner. She was a long time member of St. Mary’s of the Assumption Church in Panama and later a member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church when they moved to Harlan in 2000. She was also an active member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas Court of St. Katherine 266 for many years. Melvin and Verelda loved to dance and enjoyed the many friends they met through dancing.
She died at her home in Harlan on Sunday, May 25, 2014 having attained the age of eighty-seven years, two months and one day. In addition to her parents, Verelda was preceded in death by her husband in 2002, son Russell on May 28, 1976; her brother Francis Schmitz; sisters: Mary Ann Klein, Delores Obrecht and Verdella Schill and her daughter-in-law Barbara Schwery.
Verelda is survived by her children: Lyle Schwery and his wife Jolene of St. Charles, Iowa; Myron Schwery and his wife Chris of Olathe, Kansas; Michael Schwery and his wife Jacque of Blair, Nebraska; Joel Schwery of Olathe, Kansas; Jolene and her husband Larry Brown of Fremont, Nebraska; Keith Schwery and his wife Eileen of Panama and Michelle and her husband Samuel Ferguson of Omaha, Nebraska; 21 grandchildren; 21 great grandchildren; her sister, Theresa Goetz of Irwin, Iowa; her sister-in-law, Norma Schmitz of Denison, Iowa; nieces and nephews, other relatives and many friends.
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