Verna Gladys Huff Salmon

1914-2016

Lawrence, KS….Verna Gladys Huff Salmon, having lived to the remarkable age of 102 years, departed this life on August 26, 2016.  The daughter of Elizabeth Epperson Huff and Willis Alfred Huff, she was born on March 1, 1914, in Cypress Township in Harrison County, Missouri.

Verna graduated from Jameson Missouri High School with 21 other students at the height of the depression.  After graduation, she worked for a dentist”s family in Pattonsburg, Missouri.  During that time, she met Russell Nelson Salmon of Daviess County, and they were united in marriage on December 16, 1933, at a parsonage in Trenton, Missouri.  To this union, two daughters were born:  Nedra Lea (Troxel) of Lawrence, Kansas and Patricia Coleen (Durie) of Prairie Village, Kansas.  Russell and Verna made their permanent home in the Weatherby Community in DeKalb County.  They were actively involved in all school and community events, especially those at Bethel Methodist Church.

Verna worked in the office of Dr. James Sweiger in Maysville, Missouri for a number of years.  After being widowed in 1966, she attended the Hillyard Technical School Nurses Program and then traveled to Jefferson City, Missouri for testing, receiving her license on June 13, 1969.

Verna was known for keeping involved in meaningful activity at all times.  Along with her skills of cooking, needle work and sewing for the family, she gardened and faithfully canned and froze all manner of food.  She showed those skills as a 4-H project leader as well.  Her family has fond memories  of her dedication to finding food to eat in the woods, being especially skilled at finding wild mushrooms, gooseberries, blueberries, and blackberries.

Verna was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, two brothers, Edmund Alfred Huff and Ernest Ellsworth Huff, her sister, Ruby Huff Carter West, a beloved granddaughter, Christina Dianne Troxel, and two sons-in-law, Gustav William Troxel and Robert Howard Durie, M.D.  She is survived by her two daughters, along with grandchildren, Cynthia Troxel, Cheryl Troxel (Mike Heasty), William Troxel, (Karey), Catherine Durie, M.D. (Rachel Telushkin), Amy Durie (David Forrest), and Robert Ted Durie (Lori).  Great Grandchildren are Daniel Durie, Sarah Forrest (Joe Kapusnick Forrest), Nathan Durie, Lauren Durie, Matthew Forrest (Sarah Krenicki), William Durie-Poliwoda, and Ashlynn Christine Troxel.  She is also survived by many beloved nieces and nephews and their families.

Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Monday, August 29, 2016 at Turner Family Funeral Home, Maysville, Missouri with Visitation 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. Monday at the funeral home. Burial: Bethel Cemetery, Weatherby, MO.  Online condolences: www.turnerfamilyfuneral.com

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