Vernice E. Odean, 87, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2014, at Saint Therese Care Center in New Hope, MN.
Vernice was born Oct. 14, 1926, the daughter of Henry and Martha Schroeder on the family farm in New Hope Township, MN. She grew up on the farm and graduated from Minneapolis North High School. She was united in marriage to Laurence W. Odean on Aug. 25, 1950 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, MN. They lived in Montevideo, MN until their retirement and then moved to their lake home in Hackensack, MN in 1986.
Vernice worked as a legal secretary for Dodge County MN, for a law office in Montevideo, and later as a caseworker for the Minnesota Employment Office where she retired in 1986. She was a homemaker and raised a family of four children. During her retirement, she did volunteer work at Deep Portage Learning Center, Hackensack Senior Center, and prepared tax returns for senior citizens. She was active in the church choir, attended/hosted bible study groups, and many other church activities. She also loved quilting, gardening, fishing, tolerated camping, and enjoyed spending time with her family and friends.
She is survived by her sons Lynn (Linda) of Rochester, MN; and Allen (Marilyn) of Duluth, MN; daughter Jill Holm (Russell) of Andover, MN; seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Laurence, of 52 years; her son, Arlen; sister, Eleonora; and brothers, Kalmer and George.
The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday Feb. 24, at Mount Olive Lutheran Church, 700 Western Street, Anoka, MN, with the Reverend Randy Stroming officiating. Visitation one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be at Glen Haven Memorial Gardens in Crystal, MN.
Thurston-Lindberg Funeral Home Anoka 763-421-0220