Verna B. Crawmer

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, August 24, 2016 at Joyce-Alesch Funeral Home in Graettinger. Inurnment is in Valley View Cemetery. The family will greet friends from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., Tuesday at the funeral home. Verna B. Mammen, daughter of Elmer and Idella (Hatch) Mammen was born November 6, 1931 near Graettinger, Iowa. She went to country school, and she was a 1950 graduate of Graettinger High School. Following her education, Verna worked in Graettinger as a switchboard operator. On April 3, 1959, Verna was united in marriage to Don Crawmer in Jackson, MN and made their home in Emmetsburg. Verna worked for Berkley's for 12 years and SNC Mfg. for 16 years before retiring in 1998. After retirement, Verna and Don built a home in West Plains, MO. After a short time in Missouri, Verna and Don decided to move back to Iowa to be closer to their daughters and grandchildren. They bought a home in Graettinger where Don currently resides. Verna enjoyed cooking, embroidering, and collecting cookbooks. More than anything, she loved spending time with family. Going to all of her grandchildren's activities was always her favorite thing to do. On...[more]

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gust 20, 2016, Verna passed away at the Spencer Hospital. Left to cherish her memory is her husband, Don of Graettinger; two daughters, Shelly Refsell (Bert) of Wallingford and Kathy Cooke (Mick) of Emmetsburg; four grandchildren: Brandi Refsell of Graettinger and her son, Cayden, Kristi Behrends (Terry) of Graettinger and their children, Lauren and Blake, Amie Bauer of Harlan and her daughter Macey and Adam Cooke (Allison) of Sheldon and their daughter, Brynley; and her brother-in-law, James Crawmer (Geri) of Phoenix City, AL. She was preceded in death by her parents; and her mother and father-in-law: John H. and Anna Crawmer.