Verna M Bachelder

November 13, 1923 - June 24, 2020

Verna Marie Bachelder, 96, of Winters, passed away on Wednesday, June 24, 2020. Memorial service will be Wednesday, July 8, at 2 PM at the Winters Funeral Home. Verna was born Nov.13, 1923 in San Antonio, the oldest of four daughters, to Alfred and Verna (Jones) Hall of Pear Valley, Texas near Brady. She graduated in 1941 as Salutatorian from Lohn High School. During WW2, while working at the Officer’s PX at the Brady Air Field, she met Elwood F. (Woody) Bachelder from Grand Rapids, Michigan who was taking his 2nd phase of training for the Army Air Corp. They married March 17, 1943 after Woody finished his 3rd phase of Air Corp. training and received his Wings and the appointment of First Lieutenant. After WW2 she resided in Hastings, MI for 60 years. She and her husband Woody, owned Woody’s K & B Supply, Sporting Goods and Appliance Center; She also worked for Drs. Pryor and Morrill; and retired in 1983 from Hastings Manufacturing Co. as Financial secretary. Verna was a 60 year life member, three times Worthy Matron, of the Order of Eastern Star, Michigan Chapter #7. She was also a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, Hastings, MI Chapter. She was an accomplished Artist. Her Porcelain pieces and Oil paintings won awards and acclaim in Michigan and Texas. She moved to Dallas in 2005 with her oldest daughter, Starlyn and husband Richard Smelker. Then moved in 2009 with Smelkers to Winters for their retirement. Verna was an active member of Bluff Creek Cowboy Church in Drasco. She was preceded in death by her parents, Alfred and Verna Hall; her husband Elwood Bachelder; and her two middle sisters Lois Hall and Lorraine Tolbert. Verna is survived by her youngest sister, Alyce Jane Hester, of Brady; two daughters, Starlyn Smelker and husband Richard of Winters and Carolyn Ericson and late husband Gilbert of Elverson, PA.; Three Grandchildren, Terry Smelker and wife Corrine, Rebecka Mathis and husband Steve, and Michael Siriani and wife Alexis; two Step Granddaughters, Rachel Ericson Carmiggelt and husband IJsbrand of Amsterdam, Netherlands, Jennifer Ericson Morris and husband Gavin of Massachusetts; Eleven Great-Grandchildren, Warrick Smelker, Devon Smelker, Kianna Smelker, Teagan Logan and husband Ian, Hayley Smelker, Garrick Smelker, Carson Smelker, Gavin Siriani, Charlotte Siriani, Faye Carmiggelt, Emmett Morris; and three Great-Great Grandchildren, Roman, Oona and Michael Logan. A Memorial Service will also be held in Hastings, MI in the early fall, 2020 before being interred with her husband at Rest Haven Memorial Park in Grand Rapids, MI.