Verna Alice Klepzig

Verna Alice (Lemmon) Klepzig, 89, passed away on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2015, at Benefis East, surrounded by her loving family. A celebration of her life will be held on Nov. 7, to coincide with what would have been her 90th birthday. Services will be held at 11 a.m. at Croxford's Funeral Home with inurnment to follow at Highland Cemetery in the Niche Wall.

She was born on Nov 6, 1925, in Harlem, to Claud and Billie Lemmon. She was raised in and around Harlem and was valedictorian of her graduating class in 1943. Shortly after graduation, she went to Hanford, Wash., to help in the war effort.

In 1946 she and William A "Bill" Klepzig married. They moved to Great Falls and started their family.

In addition to being the mother of four, she worked for many years at the west side Buttrey store. When Bill's work took them to Glasgow in 1966, she was employed at Glasgow Insurance and Realty. Upon their return to Great Falls in 1973, she worked for Montana Farmers' Insurance until she retired. She and Bill were original members of VFW Post 5590. She held many offices in the VFW Auxiliary.

She loved to fish and many weekends were passed with Bill and any combination of family and friends fishing, picnicking or camping at the area lakes and reservoirs. She was an avid reader and she also loved to garden. She was an advocate of education. Like fishing, these interests were passed along to her children and grandchildren.

Survivors include her children: Keila Hudson and her husband, Hal, of Spokane, Wash., Casey Klepzig and his wife, Cleo, of Albany, Ore., and Karin Klepzig of Great Falls; she is also survived by one sister, Arlene Heppner, of Helena; 13 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and 4 great-great-grandchildren.