Verona Irene Barger, 92

Verona Irene Barger, 92, of Columbia Falls, left family members at her bedside Friday, Nov. 4, 2011, and “went to be with the Lord, fulfilling her strongest desire,” after a long illness.

Her faith in God and caring for her family were her priorities. In addition, for decades she lovingly provided missionaries from 29 countries around the world with embroidered sheet sets and other linens.

Verona was born Oct. 13, 1919, in Knob Noster, Mo., to Jessie and Ollie (Carpenter) Hyatt. Her father died when she was 1 year old; she and her mother later moved to South Dakota, where her mother married John Hanson. Verona graduated from high school in Howard, S.D.

She met her future husband, Samuel Wells Barger, in Sioux Falls, S.D., and they married Aug. 6, 1939, in Billings. They are the parents of four daughters.

Her husband's work took them to Green Bay, Wis., Butte, back to Billings and to Omaha, Neb. Upon retirement, they returned to Billings and later served the Assemblies of God's International Correspondence Institute in Brussels, Belgium, for two years. Before moving to Columbia Falls, they had also lived in Hungry Horse and Yuma, Ariz.

Verona is survived by Samuel, her husband of 72 years; her daughters, Valaura and David Steele of Lacey, Wash., Orlynda and Bob Goodman of Columbia Falls, LaDonna and Rod Richardson of Terrabonne, Ore., and Sonja Barger of Beaverton, Ore.; eight grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister Delores and Leland Anderson of Minnesota; and many nieces and nephews. 

She was a member of the Whitefish Assembly of God Church.

A memorial service will be held in the spring of 2012.

You are invited to go to www.columbiamortuary.com to offer condolences and view Verona's tribute wall.

Arrangements are entrusted to Columbia Mortuary.