Funeral Services for Verna Mae Wise, 83, of Grand Junction will be 2:00 pm Tuesday, March 9, 2010 at the First United Methodist Church in Grand Junction, Iowa.  Interment will be in Beaver Cemetery, Beaver, Iowa.  Visitation will be after 1:00 pm Monday, March 8, 2010 at Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home in Jefferson with the family present to greet friends from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

Verna Mae is survived by her sons Daniel (Cindy) Wise of Jefferson, IA, Douglas Wise of Omaha, NE and Dennis Wise of Waco, TX; daughter-in-law Diane Wise of Jefferson, IA.

Verna Mae Wise was born on September 15, 1926 in Perry, Iowa to Charles and Wilda Faye Harvey.  She passed away on Friday, March 5th at Greene County Medical Center in Jefferson, Iowa after residing at Regency Park home for a little over a year. 

Verna Mae graduated in 1945 from Perry High School.  She met Paul Herbert Wise through a pen pal program with servicemen during World War II.  They married April 7th, 1946 in Grand Junction, Iowa where they resided the rest of their married life.  Paul and Verna Mae were the proud parents of five sons---Donald, Daniel, David, Douglas, and Dennis.  Verna Mae helped Paul farm in their early years of marriage.  The couple moved to town in 1962 while Paul worked for the DOT. 

Verna Mae is known by her family and friends to be the best CNA that every lived as she nurtured hundreds of folk over a long span of time at Ogden Manor.    Verna Mae enjoyed mystery novels and detective shows when she relaxed and playing cards with her best friend, Rose.  Above many other activities, Verna Mae did a lot of cooking.  She was famous for her awesome cooking skills, which she shared in restaurant work and mainly through community service, providing bowlfuls of potato salad and pots of goulash to most citizens many times over the years for many different gatherings.  Holiday celebration was not complete for her grandson, Aaron, without her deviled eggs and her cream pies have been auctioned for as high as two hundred dollars!

However, Verna Mae’s greatest legacy is her journalistic passion as she wrote for the Globe Free Press and the Bee and Herald for almost 50 years, most known for her Grand Junction News column in the Herald.  Verna Mae’s column touched the lives of thousands from coast to coast including small town folk and top notch city executives!  Everyone needed her heartfelt, down home genuineness, love, and humor.

Verna Mae was a faithful Legionnaire and Auxiliary Member of Rayharbaker #85 and held her flag and American freedom in high esteem.  She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Grand Junction and its beloved women’s group, United Methodist Women.  Verna Mae was a member of many other clubs, because she so deeply enjoyed the rich fellowship it provided.  Verna Mae loved her family and friends.  She was dependable, loyal, energetic, fun, honest, consistent, forgiving, and forever looking forward to the next time to be together.

Most of all, Verna Mae was extremely proud of her sons and their accomplishments.  Her life revolved around them and their families.  She always noticed and believed the best about them.  They will miss her outstanding joy to be their mother.

Verna Mae was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Wilda Faye Harvey; her husband, Paul Wise; her sons, Donald Wise and David Wise; her daughter-in-law, Marcia Wise (Donald); her brother, LeRoy Harvey; and an infant sister.  Verna Mae is survived by her sons, Daniel Wise (Cindy) of Jefferson; Douglas Wise (Amanda) of Omaha; Dennis Wise (Sandra) of Lorena, Texas; daughter-in-law, Diane Wise (David) of Jefferson; 22 grandchildren; 8 great grandchildren; and an abundance of relatives and friends including her Regency Park comrades and her faithful column followers.