Vera Jeane Eli

Vera was born on July 2, 1932 in Polo, Missouri to William and Lalla Spencer. She was the youngest of four daughters, and she lived with her family on the farm in Polo. Vera loved being on the farm and riding horses with her sister, Jo. They moved to Kansas City when Vera was about 10 years of age.

Vera married the love of her life, Rodell Eli, on February 10, 1951. This year, they would have celebrated 75 years of marriage. They lived in Kansas City until Rodell's passing in 2006, after which Vera moved to Independence.

Vera loved to travel, and she and Rodell took their children on many trips over the years, including lots of trips to Branson. She got to travel to the East Coast and saw the Atlantic Ocean twice, along with seeing both Vermont Country Stores, Hershey PA, Gettysburg, Washington D.C., Arlington Cemetery, and the Blue Ridge Mountains. She travelled to South Dakota with Bill and Sarah, where she saw a baby bison pose for her on a rock. She got to take the Silverton/Durango train in Colorado with Rw, and her final trip this past October was to see the Oklahoma City Memorial with Barbara, Beverly, and Cathy.

Vera loved her country music and saw where it all began in Bristol, Tennessee. She saw many country music artists over the years. She loved to sew and made many quilts. She was also a cook at May's restaurant for about 12-13 years after her children moved out.

But what mattered most to Vera was her family. Family was everything to her.

Vera was preceded in death by her husband Rodell Eli in 2005, her parents, brother Johnnie Spencer, and sisters Betty Hendren, Margaret Spencer (age 6), and Josephine Painter.

Vera is survived by her four children - daughter Barbara Leslie, son William Eli and his wife Sarah, son Rw Eli, and daughter Catherine Davis. She is also survived by 14 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.