Lola Vearl Ferdon

Lola Vearl Ferdon (Vearl) was born 0n May 11, 1922, in Macon County, Missouri. She passed away 100 years later on July 2, 2002, in Tucson, Arizona. She was preceded in death by beloved husband Edwin Ferdon, son Richard Ferdon, parents Carl & Edith Baker, brothers Merle, Verne, & Lyle Baker, and sister Norma Gene (Baker) Wade. Vearl is survived by her sister Hazel Reynolds of Mo., daughters Derre (Jimmy Crabb) and Julie (Don Smith), granddaughters Amanda Ferdon and Kristy Crabb, grandsons David and James (Lori) Warren; greatgrandchildren Lily and Jory Petterson, Reagan Warren, and Zayden Ferdon. She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews in Missouri.

Vearl was born in the back room of the family farm. As the oldest, she was expected to help raise and be a model to her five siblings which, by all reports, she did so with great success. After graduating as Valedictorian of her high school class she worked for the county and also worked for a war plant that supplied needs for WWII. After the war, she moved to Tucson where she became Administrative Assistant for the head of the Department of Anthropology. There she met and eventually married anthropologist Edwin Ferdon, whose three children immediately embraced her. She and Ed traveled far and wide, especially after retiring. After Ed passed away in 2002 she returned to her passion of writing and in 2016 published a book of stories and memoirs entitled “Welcome to My World.” Vearl was kind, open-minded, generous, interesting, and had a wonderful sense of humor, all traits she exhibited to the end. She was loved by and a model for all who her knew her.

The family is beyond grateful to Ellie, Estella, Monica, and Pat, Vearl’s caregivers and good friends for the last two years.

Donations in her memory may be made to your local community food bank or to the Edwin Ferdon Memorial Scholarship, which assists undergraduates with financial needs. Donations may be sent to either https://give.uafoundation.org/EdwinFerdon or UA Foundation, c/o Gift Processing PO Box 210109, Tucson, AZ 85719.