Verna L. Braaten, 88

Published 10:48 am Wednesday, May 18, 2016

Verna L. Braaten, 88, of Austin, Minnesota, died Monday, May 16, 2016, at Our House Assisted Living.

Verna L. Braaten, 88

Verna Lucille Jackson was born Dec. 24, 1927, in Albert Lea, Minnesota, the daughter of Calvin M. and Cora A. (Ingvaldson) Jackson. The family moved to Austin and Verna graduated from Austin High School. She worked as a secretary for the Prudential Insurance Company in Austin. On June 6, 1948, she married Nordahl L. Braaten at St. Olaf Lutheran Church.

Verna was a longtime member of St. Olaf Lutheran Church and was active in WELCA and the church circles. She had also been a member of the St. Marks Lutheran Home Auxiliary. Over the years, the family enjoyed many trips to the lakes of northern Minnesota and camping trips throughout the Midwest. Verna lived in the family home that they built at the time they were married until May of 2012 when she moved to an apartment at Our House Assisted Living.

She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and a sister Kay Glassco.

Verna is survived by, daughter, Mary E. Anderson, Ostrander, Minnesota; sons and daughter-in-law, James A. (Jim) Braaten, Austin, Minnesota and Mark S. and Dorothy Braaten, Anoka, Minnesota; grandchildren, Erick Anderson and Allison Keller, Grand Meadow, Minnesota, Jayson Braaten, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Jerika Braaten, Anoka, Minnesota, Mandy and Adam Mergen, Cold Spring, Minnesota, Alyssa and Jeff Bancroft, Ramsey, Minnesota; great grandchildren, Lillie and Charlie Mergen and Charlotte Keller; sister-in-law, Joyce Braaten, Austin, Minnesota; nieces, nephews and cousins.

A worship service celebrating Verna’s life will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, May 20, 2016, at St. Olaf Lutheran Church with the Reverend Paul Lutter and Todd Portinga, AiM, officiating. Interment will be at the Red Oak Grove Cemetery, rural Austin. Visitation will be held at Clasen-Jordan Mortuary on Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. and at the church for one hour before the service on Friday morning. Memorials may be directed to the St. Olaf Lutheran Church Building Fund or the St. Olaf Lutheran Church Foundation Endowment Fund.