Sarah Verne deBourg was born February 20, 1943 to the marriage union of George H. Edwards and Frances Arline Ross. Sarah, or Verne as she was known to friends and family, grew up in and around New York City; in the Bronx, Queens and Long Island with her brother Harry and sister Pamela. Raised in a large multigenerational family that included aunts, uncles, and cousins Verne enjoyed an idyllic childhood. She attended Uniondale High School, where she was a champion swimmer and debutante, and graduated in 1960.
Verne went on to attend Fisk University, where she majored in mathematics and joined Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. While at Fisk, Verne enjoyed learning about the Civil Rights Movement, coming together with people from diverse backgrounds, and being exposed to the benefits of a liberal education. While in college, Verne had the opportunity to attend the famed March on Washington, study in California, and visit Scandinavia, Paris and London. Verne graduated summa cum laude from Fisk and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society in 1964.
Verne was a pioneer for women as a computer systems analyst. She worked as a data bank coordinator with the Desert Biome Project in the College of Natural Resources in Utah, a computer systems analyst at AutoOwners Insurance Company in Michigan, and as the manager of Research and Development for the Bank of Commerce in Trinidad and Tobago.
Verne married Dr. William King Sr. in 1964 and had two children, William Frank King, Jr. and Kristina Nicole King. After the couple were divorced in 1970, Verne moved to Michigan with Billy and Krissy. She took a new leap of faith when she married Dr. Clyde Emerson deBourg in 1980 and had a baby girl, Pamela Michelle deBourg. Clyde, Verne, and Pamela lived 10 years in Clyde’s birthplace of Trinidad and Tobago, before returning to the states in the 1990’s.
She followed her faith again and obtained a Master of Divinity from Colgate Rochester Crozier Divinity School. Known affectionately as Rev. Verne, she answered her calling to ministry as an associate minister and youth pastor in Binghamton, New York with the American Baptist Church serving at Cornerstone Community Church, where she was devoted to the hospice ministry, vacation bible school, women’s ministry and supporting her spouse in his music ministry. She travelled to the Holy Land of Israel with a pastoral delegation in 2014. She ministered to churches across the New York Southern Tier regularly. Reverend Verne was an advocate of peace and was a student of nonviolent communication.
She was also an expert at sudoku, puzzles and knitting; was a voracious reader and prolific poet; and was an avid swimmer and green thumb, able to nurture any seed or cutting into a lush Garden of Eden. She was also a well known nurturer of people, uniting family, friends, and strangers alike with her many craft hobby gifts, phone calls, and visits..
Sarah Verne deBourg made her transition to heaven May 26, 2020, surrounded by family after a valiant year-long battle with illness. Reverend Verne is survived by her children William, Kristina, and Pamela, her grandchildren Kadeem, Jalen, Ayanna, Phillip, Eleazar (Trey), Enoch and Elijah, her brother Harry T Edwards, sister Pamela Matthews, and many cousins, nieces, nephews and all of the children and friends she adopted into her heart across New York, Michigan, Trinidad, and the world.
During this unique time in 2020, Remembrances, Memorial Service details, and information about Reverend Verne’s scholarship fund will be forthcoming.
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