Verna Marie Thoele, age 86, of Glencoe, formerly of Arlington, passed away at the Glencoe Regional Health Services Long Term Care in Glencoe on Friday, Sept. 16.
Funeral services will be held at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Glencoe at 11 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 22. Pastor Robert Nowak will officiate.
The organist will be Linda Dose. Kayla Allen, Verna’s granddaughter, will sing “The Lord’s Prayer.”
Congregational hymns will be “I Need Thee Every Hour,” “Nearer My God To Thee” and “Asleep In Jesus.”
Casket bearers will be Jason Thoele, Jessica Berg, Andrew Bates, Kayla Allen, Adam Bates, Aaron Bates, Kathy Herrmann and Scott Wallert.
Honorary casket bearers will be Stacey Jacobson, Brenna Thoele, Julie Sickler and Bonnie Fries.
 Interment will be in the Arlington Public Cemetery.
Verna Marie Thoele was born in Arlington on Oct. 10, 1929.  She was the daughter of William and Eva (Schander) Wallert.  Verna was baptized as an infant on Oct. 27, 1929, by Rev. Robert Heidmann at St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Arlington and later was confirmed in her faith as a youth on May 24, 1942, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Lakeville.  She received her education at Mechanic Arts High School girls’ vocational program in St. Paul.
On Aug. 20, 1949, Verna was united in marriage to LeRoy Thoele at Emanuel Lutheran Church in St. Paul. Verna and LeRoy made their first home in Henderson, then bought land and farmed south of Arlington. They enjoyed 25 years of marriage together until LeRoy’s passing at age 45. Their marriage was blessed with four children, Bruce, Cheryl, Kevin and Patti. In Verna’s retirement years she moved to Glencoe.
In addition to being a loving wife, mother and homemaker, Verna worked side by side with LeRoy on the farm milking cows, feeding calves, doing field work and tending to a large garden. Verna was a member at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Arlington and a member at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Glencoe, where she served on the ladies aid and attended Bible study on a regular basis at both churches.  She was also a past member of Merrymakers and Tops.
She enjoyed cooking, baking, sewing and doing crochet work. Her favorite love was dancing. She was an avid reader always current on world and local events. She also enjoyed reading love novels, but her favorite read was the Bible and she knew the Bible well. In retirement years she traveled as much as she could often with tour groups. Verna worked hard, but always put family first. Verna treasured the time spent with her friends and family, especially her grandchildren. She never forgot birthdays, anniversaries, etc. and enjoyed sending cards with numerous stickers for these occasions.
Verna is survived by her children, Kevin (Kimberly) Thoele of Jamestown, N.D., and Patti Thoele (Scott) Bates  of Green Isle; daughter-in-law, Janet Thoele of Arlington; grandchildren, Jessica (Mike) Berg, Stacey (Mike) Jacobson Jason (Andrea) Thoele, Kayla (Kenny) Allen,  Brenna Thoele, Andrew Bates, Adam Bates and Aaron Bates; great grandchildren, Matthew Thoele, Julian Berg, Maya Berg, Brendan Thoele and Jaxson Thoele; brother, Kenneth (Sharon) Wallert of Inver Grove Heights; brothers-in-law, Norman Thoele of Hamburg,  and Karl (Edith) Thoele of Henderson; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.
Verna is preceded in death by her parents, William and Eva Wallert; husband, LeRoy Thoele; son, Bruce Thoele; daughter, Cheryl Thoele; sister, Delores Thoele; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Abie and Rose Thoele; special friend, Scoop (Ewald) Exsted; and Lester Bethke.
The family invites everyone to the luncheon at the church immediately following the service.
Arrangements by the Johnson-McBride Funeral Chapel of Glencoe.  Online Obituaries and Guest Book available at www.hantge.com.  Please click on Obituaries/Guest Book.