Verna Mae Duenow

Verna Mae Duenow, 86, a resident of Fergus Falls, died Sunday, January 24, 2016, at the Harmony House, under the care of Lakeland Hospice.

Verna Mae was born on May 3, 1929, to Arthur and Antoinette “Neta” (Weiss) Anderson in Erhard. She was baptized at Bagstevold Lutheran Church in Erhard on July 29, 1929 and Confirmed at St. Johns Lutheran Church in Elizabeth on June 14, 1941. She attended country school and graduated from Pelican Rapids High School in 1946.

On May 2, 1948, she married Floyd Marvin Duenow at St. Johns Lutheran Church in Elizabeth. She was employed at Scott’s Five and Dime until the time of her marriage and then enjoyed being a stay at home mother and homemaker.

Verna Mae was a charter member of Hope Lutheran Church and its women’s groups and also a member of the VFW Women’s Auxillary. She enjoyed reading, crafts, traveling and bible class, but most of all, her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Floyd Duenow; her parents; her grandparents; her sister, Leone Backstrom; her brother, Laurel Anderson; and brothers-in-law, Donald Nelson, Roger (Helen) Duenow, Floyd Kohlhase and Verlyn Haiby.

Verna Mae is survived by two daughters, Susan (Paul) Melby of Brookings, SD and Teresa (Clair) Chapman of Sartell; one son, Tim (Beth) Duenow of Fergus Falls; seven grandchildren, Jason (Cheryl) Melby of Brookings, SD, Staci Melby of Rochester, Jeremy Chapman of Sartell, Joseph (Nicole) Chapman of Becker, Alissa (Luke) Voorhees of Fergus Falls, Lindsay (Ryan Palm) Duenow of Fergus Falls and Aaron (Amanda) Duenow of Ashby; nine great-grandchildren, Timothy and Elizabeth Melby of Brookings, SD, Parker Chapman of Becker, Simon, Liam and Eden Voorhees of Fergus Falls, Rylin and Ayla Palm of Fergus Falls, Henry Duenow of Ashby and baby boy Duenow, due in June of 2016; siblings, Betty Kohlhase, JoAnne Haiby, Dorene Nelson, Elroy (Arlene) Anderson and Ken Anderson, all of Fergus Falls; a sister-in-law, Glenda Anderson of Fergus Falls; a brother-in-law, Elroy Backstrom of Pelican Rapids; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

Visitation: One hour prior to the service at the church
Service: 2:00 PM on Friday, January 29, 2016, at Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls.
Clergy: Reverend Matthew Rose
Interment: Knollwood Memorial Gardens in Fergus Falls