Verna Reed

DEXTER, Mo. -- Verna E. Graff Reed, 80, of Dexter passed away Monday, Nov. 27, 2017, in Sikeston, Missouri.

Verna was born July 3, 1937, in Perry County, Missouri, daughter of Vincent E. and Mary E. Graff. She was married to Earl F. Reed on June 21, 1958, in Perryville, Missouri.

Verna worked many years in secretarial and office management, retail sales and cafeteria management.

She loved vegetable and flower gardening, keeping a beautiful yard, traveling, spending time with her family and being a grandmother. She most recently lived in Dexter, but also lived in Cape Girardeau, Kentucky, Texas and Florida, a state she greatly loved.

She was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Dexter.

She is survived by her husband; sons, Michael (Darlene) Reed of Sikeston and Mark (Madrigail) Reed of Cape Girardeau; grandson, Seth Reed of Cape Girardeau; granddaughter, Katherine Leonard of Naples, Florida; grandson, William Leonard of Sikeston; two sisters, Ella Kiefer and Esther May DuBois, both of Perryville; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, a half brother and two sisters.

Visitation will be at 9 a.m. Thursday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Dexter.

Funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at the church, with the Revs. David Dohogne and William Hennecke officiating. Burial will be in the Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for memorials to be given to the Missouri Veterans Home, 2400 Veterans Memorial Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701; the Kenny Rogers Children's Center, 300 Floyd Ave., Sikeston, MO 63801; and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Rainey Mathis Funeral Home in Dexter in charge of all arrangements.