GARNER — Verna Mae Eggerth, 95, of Garner, a devoted mother, grandmother and great-grandmother whose life was shaped by hard work on the family farm, a love of gardening and an extraordinary dedication to her Christian faith, passed away Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at Concord Care Center in Garner, surrounded by her loving family. A lifelong northern Iowan, she raised five children, including two sets of twins, and was remembered for her home-cooked meals, generous spirit and deep love for her family.
Visitation will be held Sunday, November 8, 2026, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, 310 First Avenue North in Clear Lake. A private family graveside service will take place at Concord Township Cemetery in Garner.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the family in Verna Mae’s memory.
Born September 28, 1931, on a farm near Leland, Iowa, Verna Mae was the daughter of Herbert and Lenore (Matthews) Hanson. Her childhood was rooted in the rural traditions of northern Iowa, where family, faith and hard work were important parts of everyday life.
She attended a country school north of Leland through eighth grade before continuing her education at Lake Mills High School, graduating with the Class of 1949.
On August 20, 1950, she married Walter Harold Eggerth at the United Methodist Church in Garner, beginning a marriage and family life that would span decades.
Together, Verna Mae and Walter welcomed five children, including two sets of twins, and established their home on a farm northeast of Garner.
Walter operated a farm machinery repair shop, while Verna Mae embraced the many responsibilities that came with raising a family and helping maintain a working farm.
She was no stranger to physical labor, regularly helping with farm operations and working in the fields while also managing the demands of a busy household.
Her kitchen was another place where her talents were appreciated. Home-cooked meals, baked goods and the familiar comforts of farm life were part of the home she helped create for her family.
Verna Mae particularly enjoyed cooking and baking, sewing, growing vegetables and flowers, and tending to the fruit orchard where she raised apples.
Those activities reflected her appreciation for the simple rewards of patient work and the satisfaction of providing for the people she loved.
In 2005, after many years on the farm, Verna Mae and Walter moved to Garner.
Although their surroundings changed, the interests and values that had guided her throughout life remained constant.
She enjoyed working on word search puzzles, watching television game shows and Hallmark movies, and spending time with family.
But one of the most remarkable aspects of Verna Mae’s life was her dedication to reading and studying the Bible.
A woman of deep and enduring Christian faith, she made a practice of reading the Bible from beginning to end, carefully recording each completed reading inside its pages.
Over the course of her life, she read the entire Bible more than 50 times.
Her devotion to Scripture was more than a daily routine. It reflected the central role her faith played in shaping her life, her outlook and her relationships with others.
She was a member of Open Bible Church in Clear Lake, where her Christian beliefs remained an important part of her identity.
Verna Mae also cherished the time she and Walter spent traveling to Minnesota for fishing trips.
Those outings provided opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, spend time together and build memories beyond the responsibilities of work and family life.
Above all, however, her greatest happiness came from her children and the generations of family members who followed.
She experienced the joy of watching her family grow to include grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, creating a legacy that now spans five generations.
Verna Mae is survived by her children, David (Pat) Eggerth of Forest City; Gary (Donna) Eggerth of Mason City; Larry (CJ) Eggerth of Mason City; and Diane Jones of Ventura.
She is also survived by nine grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Other survivors include her sister, LoEtta Young; sister-in-law, Ilene Hanson; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Herbert and Lenore Hanson; her parents-in-law, Emil and Christine Eggerth; her husband, Walter Eggerth; and her daughter, Nancy Eggerth.
She was also preceded in death by her son-in-law, Tim Jones; grandson, Christopher Ashland; brother-in-law, Merle Eggerth; and siblings Helen (Kenny) Baumann, Henry (Ruby) Hanson, Duane Hanson, Robert Hanson and Ellsworth (Kathy) Hanson, as well as her brother-in-law, Raymond Young.
Verna Mae’s family expressed heartfelt appreciation to the staff members of Concord Care Center and St. Croix Hospice for the compassion, love and care they provided during her final days.
Family members and friends wishing to share condolences, memories or memorial tributes may visit the Verna Mae Eggerth obituary and tribute page at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel.
For Verna Mae, a meaningful life was found in the everyday moments that brought people together: tending a garden, preparing a family meal, spending an afternoon fishing with Walter or opening her Bible to read its familiar words once again.
Her 95 years were filled with the responsibilities and rewards of farm life, the blessings of a growing family and a faith that remained steadfast through the decades.
The love she shared and the traditions she carried forward will remain part of the lives of the generations who follow her.
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