"Her children rise up, and praise her." Proverbs 31:28 Her birthday cake last Sunday read, "A beautiful mother is a joy forever." As her daughter held her cake the family gathered around her bed and sang songs to her in love, honor and joy. It did not matter that she may not have been able to hear. It only mattered that we returned the love, in some way, that she had given us through all of her years. LaVera Audrey Emrie, 87, Springfield, Mo. passed away in her home and in the loving arms of her children and granddaughter on September 20, 2011. Vera was born on September 18, 1924 in Bloodland, Mo. to Claude Luther Vaughan and Fronna May (Gann)Vaughan and was raised on the family farm near Barlow's Ford on the Gasconade river. She attended Waynesville High School and worked and lived in the dorms of Ft. Leonard Wood. She met her husband, William Harlo Emrie, at a USO dance. He was a handsome trombone player playing Big Band music for the Army Band. They were married a few months later in Rolla, Mo. on May 6, 1944. Vera would follow her husband across the country as he played in front of large crowds promoting War Bonds before they settled in Springfield. Vera worked as the office manager for McCollum Photo Finishers for many years. But her real love was for her family and friends. That is who she was. She loved her family to her very last breath. She and Harlo made sure that their kids were saved in the Lord Jesus. She always gave more than she took. She was slow to anger and quick to encourage and never spoke ill of anyone nor would she ever gossip about anyone. She taught her family the real meaning of life and now she has taught us how to die with love, grace and faith in her Lord and Savior. She was indeed, the very spirit of this nation's "Greatest Generation." Vera is survived by her son, Daniel and wife Christine Emrie; her daughter, Trish and son-in-law Denny Hilton; her sisters, Luella Carlson and Helen (Lenni) Collins; her grandchildren, Holly and Robert Wagner, Nikki and Dan Sivils, Ryan and Tessa Hilton, Michael and Beth Emrie, Christopher Emrie, Barron Hilton, David and Stephanie Emrie, Angela and Ryan McKenna and Curtis and Sarissa Adams, Dennis Jay and Tayna Hilton. Vera also had 14 great-grandchildren: Henry Sivils, Landon Emrie, Alex Davis, Brodie Ruether, Jacob Hilton, Noah Hilton, Conner Emrie, Hayden Emrie, Lainey Emrie, Megan Wagner, Kellan McKenna, Evan Adams, and Lexi Ruether. Vera was preceded in death by her husband Harlo Emrie; her sons, David Emrie and Steven Emrie and his wife Joan Emrie; her brothers, Herman Vaughan and Junior Vaughan and her sister Dorothy Rollins. Funeral services will be held at 12:30 p.m., Monday, September 26, 2011 at Schweitzer United Methodist Church with The Reverend Bob Casady officiating. Burial will follow in Missouri Veterans Cemetery. Visitation will be Sunday, from 3 to 5 p.m. in Gorman-Scharpf Brentwood Chapel. The family would like to thank her beloved sister-in-law Shirley Vaughan, "special friend" Ernie Goswick, the nurses and staff of Preferred Hospice, and in particular Arlene and Ann for the wonderful care they gave our mother. It was her wish that donations in her honor be made to The Southwest Missouri Humane Society, 3161 W. Norton Road, 65803.
