Verna Louise Manning

Verna was born near Manilla, Arkansas on April 11, 1932. She grew up the baby in a large farming family that picked cotton in the Memphis delta. Her family upbringing wasn’t rich with money but there was an abundance of love from family, community and church. She was the first in her family to complete college and ultimately obtained a Master’s Degree. From her depression-era upbringing in America’s heartland, she learned to exemplify the values of hard work, self- reliance and a love for family and the Lord.

She met her husband, Merrell in Hoxie, Arkansas when they were just kids. As Waylon Jennings said, she “was a good hearted woman in love with a good timin’ man.” They celebrated 45 years of marriage before he crossed over to wait for her to join him in God’s heavenly kingdom. No two people loved each other more, as evidenced by a legacy of love notes left from one to another on extra kitchen paper plates.

Verna taught school for 40+ years in Arkansas and later in Edmond, Oklahoma until she retired in the late 1980s. Her life-long passion was caring for children and helping them grow and discover their strengths. She applied that talent in teaching hundreds of Edmond school children for many years, but also stayed actively involved helping raise all of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren longer than any person, other than herself would have expected or required. But she said every day that “those babies” were the blessing over her life.

She is survived by her three children: Cathy, Anthony and Sherri. Each one of them swear that they were the favorite child based on the love and attention that she showered on them. Thanks to her discipline, coaching, shoutin’, empathy, and (occasionally) some more shoutin’ and lots of prayin’ each of her children turned out to be strong, accomplished, wonderful human beings. Whenever you find a fault in one of them, it had nothing to do with Verna’s lack of effort or involvement.

Her relationship with the Lord began in a small Methodist church in Sedgewick, Arkansas and continued through her life and death at Southern Hills Christian Church in Edmond, Oklahoma. With a blessed family life and the loving support of many brothers and sisters in Christ, she has walked the road to Glory and has gone home.

For those wanting to make a donation in lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Child Development Center’s scholarship fund at Southern Hills Christian Church. The scholarship fund helps ensure families needing a little extra assistance, have access to Christ centered child care. And there is nothing more that Verna would love, to leave as her earthly legacy. –and the people said, “amen.”