Ms. Vernetta Tanner departed this life and entered into eternal rest on the morning of October 4, 2019 after a long battle with COPD. She was born as the 7th of nine children to the late James Edward and Lucille Tanner on November 6, 1945.
Vernetta, affectionately known as Bot to her family, was a smart student growing up in Wadesboro, NC. She gave her life to Christ at an early age at East Rock Ford Baptist Church. She was a majorette at J.R. Faison High School where she graduated as valedictorian in 1963. After graduation, she attended Johnson C. Smith College in Charlotte, NC. She then lived with her sister Margaret in High Point, NC before moving to Washington, DC in 1967 with her sister Hattie. While in DC, she joined Second Baptist Church SW and Mt Olivet Baptist Church, before later joining New Dawn Baptist Church where she attended until her illness.
Vernetta worked a few years in private industry before gaining employment in the federal government. She would work in the government in different positions for over 30 years retiring from OMB as a Budget Analyst in 2003. As an employee of the executive branch, Vernetta would attend several White House functions over the years and was able to meet many Presidents which made her very proud. However, nothing made her prouder than her prayers being answered to see her granddaughter, Toya, graduate from high school with honors in June 2019.
Before her illness, Vernetta was an avid reader with a special liking for Harlequin Romance novels. She enjoyed traveling to sunny islands and spending time playing cards with friends and visiting casinos. She also loved duckpin bowling and played the sport in different leagues.
Vernetta was a loving and protective mother, sister, aunt, and grandmother. Though she didn’t like cooking much when she was younger, she later realized that her food bought family and friends together. Everybody had a favorite of hers - macaroni and cheese, dressing, banana pudding, cream corn, and pound cake to name a few. She loved seeing people eat her food and would prepare it with love as often as she could.
She was preceded in death by her siblings Lee Edward Tanner, Christopher Tanner, and Margaret Tanner Caple, sisters-in-law Betty and Jeretha Tanner, nephew John Tanner, close friend William Troxler, and grandson by love, Gregory Troxler.
Those left to cherish memories are her daughter and granddaughter Trina and Toya, a devoted sister, Hattie (Allen) Dunston, loving brothers George, Walter, Jasper (Wanda), and Lorenza (Patricia), an aunt Sadie Brown, children by love, William Jr and Toni Troxler, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, neighbors, and friends.
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