Verna L. Svaldi, 106, of Manchester, Iowa, was peacefully drawn home on April 8, 2014. A celebration of Verna’s life will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 3, 2014, at the First Lutheran Church, Manchester, with Rev. Tony Ede officiating. Inurnment: Oakland Cemetery, Manchester. Arrangements by Bohnenkamp-Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Manchester.

Verna was born January 7, 1908, on a farm in rural Cherry Grove, Minnesota, the daughter of John C. and Hendrika A. “Hattie” (Tammel) Michener. She attended grade school in a one room school house in rural Cherry Grove and at age 15 she relocated to Oskaloosa, Iowa, to attend a Christian-based high school. She graduated from University Park High School, Oskaloosa, in 1925, attended Fletcher Academy (affiliated with Fletcher College) near Oskaloosa, graduating in 1929, and then studied nursing at the Mahaska County and University of Iowa Hospitals, graduating first in her class from the Mahaska County Hospital School of Nursing in 1933. Verna worked as a registered nurse at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa and on October 6, 1934, she was united in marriage to Arthur Svaldi, Jr. at Adel, Iowa. In 1935, Verna and Arthur moved to Manchester where Art established and owned Standard Auto Parts and Verna worked as a private duty nurse at the Manchester Hospital. Verna was an active member of First Lutheran Church in Manchester since 1941, a sister in the P.E.O. Sisterhood, Chapter AS, a member of the Manchester Book Review Club for over 50 years, “13” Club, the Manchester Garden Club and volunteered at the Delaware County Memorial Hospital. She enjoyed gardening, cooking, reading, plate collecting and writing letters and she kept a journal for nearly her entire life. Verna wishes to be remembered for her love of family, her kindness and helpful acts to those around her and a spunky sense of humor.

Verna leaves behind a daughter, Sylvia Ann (David) Carter of Cedar Rapids; a son, Arthur Lynn Svaldi of Marion; four grandchildren, Blair Carter of Prosper, TX, Grant Carter, Neal Carter and Elaina (Michael) Kempin (all of Cedar Rapids); three great grandchildren, Curtis (Alexa) Winsor of Charlottesville, VA; Amber Carter of Dallas, TX, Rachel Fortman of Iowa City, IA; and one great great grandchild, Ayden Carter.

Verna has been reunited with her husband, Arthur Svaldi; parents, John and Hattie Michener; brothers, Charles, Gerald and Lyle Michener; a sister, Esther Bohi; two siblings in infancy, Francis and Ramona; and a daughter-in-law, Trudee Svaldi.