December 23, 1928 – December 11, 2023
A Memorial Service for Verona Canaday will be held at 2:00 PM on Friday, December 15, 2023 at First Presbyterian Church in Algona. Burial will be held at a later date in West Union Cemetery in West Union, Iowa. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church on Friday.
On December 11, 2023, at the age of 94, Verona A. Canaday earned her angel wings while residing at Algona Manor Care Center.
Verona Alvina Schmeling, daughter of Erwin and Elsa (Rambath) Schmeling, was born December 23, 1928, in Whittemore, IA. She grew up on a farm in Cylinder, IA and graduated from the Cylinder school. Verona married Forrest Whitcher on October 3, 1948, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua. The couple made their home on the farm with their daughter, Linda, at West Union, IA until Forrest’s death in October 1964. Wanting to be closer to her family, Verona moved to Irvington, IA in 1967 where she and Clarence Canaday fell in love and married February 14, 1968. She expanded her family with three sons, Russ, Steve & Don, and a daughter Gloria.
Family, friends and church were the most important things to Verona, which she demonstrated with big family holiday meals (there’s enough kringla for everyone!); teaching Sunday school at the Methodist church in West Union; an active member of the Presbyterian church in Irvington and then First Presbyterian Church in Algona where she was the chairwoman for funeral dinners for many years and received the United Presbyterian Women award in 2002. Verona had many hobbies which included sewing, crocheting, gardening, decorating her house inside and out for all the many holidays, making crafts with her grandchildren, and collecting Mickey Mouse items for her Mickey Mouse themed bedroom. She was able to travel to Disney World and meet Mickey; climbed Stone Mountain during a trip to Georgia; and made trips to Branson, MO and many other places with family and friends.
Verona is survived by her children Linda Whitcher Petersen, Russell (Sharon) Canaday, Steve (Linda) Canaday, Don Canaday and Gloria Canaday Moulton; siblings Yvonne (Walt) Wosje, Emil (Marilyn) Schmeling, Carol (Howard) Chesling and Allan Schmeling; and grandchildren Ross (Jayci) Petersen, Logan (Holly) Petersen, Tammy (David) Smith, Kris Dahlberg, Christine Grice, Brian (Bridget) Canaday, Laura Canaday, Brett (Kim) Canaday, Kelly (Brian) Winn, Travis (Nicole) Shillington, Tina (Brad) Ulfers, and Toni (Steve) Frahm. She was also blessed with twenty great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren. Survivors also include sister-in-law Louise Schmeling and numerous nieces and nephews.
Family that welcomed Verona to Heaven are husbands Forrest Whitcher & Clarence Canaday; siblings Vic (Evelyn) Schmeling, Warren (Joanne) Schmeling, Ruth (Jean) Cansler, Richard Dale (infant), Eugene Schmeling, June (Jim) Schultz, Mary (Richard) Reinhart, Darrel Schmeling; daughter-in-law Judy Canaday and son-in-law Dick Petersen; grandson Troy Canaday; great-grandson Drew Grice; great-great-granddaughter Stella Rae Canaday; sister-in-law Barb Hale Schmeling and numerous nieces and nephews.
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