Verna J. Draves

Verna June (Montgomery) Draves, age 90 of Reedsburg, WI passed away from natural causes at the Reedsburg Senior Life Center on October 22, 2021.

Verna June was born June 27th, 1931 in Richland County, WI to Freeman Monroe and Blanche Ida Montgomery. The youngest girl of 12 siblings, after her mother passed , Verna took pride in taking care of the family home and helping raise her younger brother Junior.

She met her future husband Gayl Draves at a dance hall in Hub City, WI in January of 1949 and married him just a week before her 18th birthday on June 20, 1949 in Little Willow, WI. For many years they moved where the work was, working as farm hands, janitorial for hospitals, or bussing tables at taverns to name a few. They didn’t always have a lot, but they always had each other. In May of 1966 they were blessed with a son, Gayl Draves II and were overjoyed to welcome his wife Kristine to the family on their anniversay date in June of 1987. She enjoyed time spent with her grandchildren, Gayl III & Locksley, either at home out in the country, or camping at state parks.

Verna had a love for the land and animals that she worked on, often seen with a calf or a chicken in her arms, and especially loved sharing them with her grandkids. She was adament about preserving these moments and was usually seen with her Polaroid in her hand. Verna retired from LandsEnd in Reedsburg in 2010 after over 15 years of service. She enjoyed the work and the friendships she made there.

Verna is survived by her son, Gayl II & Kristine (Perrich) Draves, of Adams, WI, grandson Gayl III & Kelsey (Jernander) Draves of Waukesha, WI, step-granddaughter AnnaLea Walker of Burlington, IA, great-grandsons August, Samson & Lochlan Draves of Waukesha, WI and Tod Walker of Burlington, IA.

Verna is preceded in death by her husband, Gayl Draves I; grandson, Locksley Draves; sisters, Bertha (Orsburn), Freda (Hunter), Erma (Hisel), Kathlee (McNamer), Vera (McCabe), and Margie Ruth (Ramsden Ramsey); and brothers, Robert, Roy, Keith, Kenneth and Junior Montgomery.

A memorial service will be held on October 28th, 2021 at 11:00am at the Knights of Columbus Clubhouse in Reedsburg. Visitation will be held preceding the ceremony beginning at 10am.

Verna will be laid to rest next to the love of her life at Basswood Cemetary in Richland County during a private family ceramony.

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