Verna Ruth (Baum) Tegtmeier

Verna (Baum) Tegtmeier, formerly of Burchard, was born on May 9, 1922 to August and Sophia (Buente) Baum of rural Tecumseh, Nebraska.  She passed away on January 1, 2023 at the age of 100.  

Verna attended Hazel Green rural school, then Tecumseh High School, graduating in 1940 as valedictorian of her class.  She attended Peru State College and in 1941 started working at the Johnson County Extension Office, working there until her marriage.  

She married Erich Tegtmeier on May 19, 1943, and they made their home on a farm between Lewiston and Burchard. They farmed and raised registered Polled Hereford cattle.  Erich and Verna had three girls-Myrna, Martha and Wilma.  In 1977, Verna started working for the USPS and in 1989 became the postmaster in Lewiston.  

Verna was a childhood member of Maple Grove U.C.C., Tecumseh and Salem's United Church of Christ, Steinauer after her marriage.  After Erich's death in 2001, Verna continued to live on the farm until moving to Beatrice in 2008.  She spent the last year of her life at the PEO Home in Beatrice, where she was given wonderful care. Verna was a big fan of McDonald's pancakes, hot fudge sundaes from Dairy Queen and loved watching Lawrence Welk reruns over and over on Saturday nights. 

Verna was preceded in death by her husband Erich, parents August and Sophia, daughter Myrna Powell, son-in-law Don "Smitty" Smith and sisters Ella Weible, Margaret Wilhelm and Laura Graebner. 

She is survived by daughters, Marty (Gene) Searcey of Beatrice and Wilma Smith of Georgetown, TX, son-in-law Tom (Linda) Powell of St. Paul, grandchildren, Matt (Tina) Powell, Kris (Mike'l) Severe, Scott (Heather) Smith, Shannon Shepherd and Eric (Jackie Echegoyen) Smith, sister Adelene Vock, ten great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and a host of other family and friends, especially Meredith Smidt who Verna referred to as her #4 daughter.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, January 7, 2023 at the Salem United Church of Christ, rural Steinauer, Nebraska with Rev. Ken Tubbesing officiating. The service will also livestreamed on the Wherry Mortuary Facebook page for those unable to attend.  A link to the livestream is also now available on the bottom of Verna's webpage.  
Visitation will be held from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., with family greeting friends from 5-7 p.m. Friday, January 6, 2023 at the Wherry Mortuary in Pawnee City, Nebraska. There will be no viewing at the church. 
In lieu of flowers, the family wishes memorials be made to Salem U.C.C. Women's Fellowship or the Nebraska P.E.O. Home in Beatrice in honor of Verna.
Private family interment will be in the Salem U.C.C. Cemetery, rural Steinauer, Nebraska.  Pallbearers will be Matt Powell, John Vock, Russ Tegtmeier, Tim Tegtmeier, Eric Smith, Scott Smith and Mike'l Severe
Online condolences may be left @ www.wherrymortuary.com. 

Services are entrusted to Wherry Mortuary, Pawnee City, Nebraska.

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