Lois Verle (Rogers) Rivers

Verle was born on November 27, 1921 in Hope, Arkansas to Arthur Alvin and Sadie Lee (Camp) Rogers. She spent her early years on her family’s cotton farm and attended the Hempstead County one-room schoolhouse. When the Great Depression descended upon the country the Rogers’ cotton farm was lost and the family moved into town. Verle shared many memories of those hard times and like so many of her generation, those years shaped her into a wise, frugal and stoic woman.

Verle graduated from the Hope High School in June 1939. She was a member of the National Honor Society and the Salutatorian of her class. Education was extremely important to Verle and although her parents were unable to pay for college she continued to educate herself through her love of reading.

She met her husband Franklin Musser Rivers during her senior year and married at age 19. They lived in New Orleans while Frank attended medical school, and then moved to Baton Rouge.

Verle’s love of travel began in 1947 when Frank was a Captain and US Army Doctor in the Occupation Forces in Southern Germany after the end of WWII. While there they lived in the town of Garmisch. After returning from Germany they lived in McAlester, OK, then Denver, CO, finally settling in Houston, Texas for well over fifty years. She relocated to Brattleboro, Vermont in 2009 to be near her youngest daughter. She and Frank enjoyed many trips overseas and stateside during their sixty-nine year marriage.

Verle was part of the frontline of women who helped to change our country’s cultural expectations surrounding the role of wives and mothers. She started an antique business, Gold Mine Antiques, in the early 1970’s. She was a proud member of the Houston Antiques Dealers Association. Her interest and appreciation for fine antiques continued throughout the years after her retirement in 2000.

Verle was a member of the Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church in Houston and taught Sunday school there for a time. When she moved to Brattleboro, Vermont she became a member of the Centre Congregational Church.

Verle Rogers Rivers was an exceptional woman of wit, charm and grace. She prided herself in remaining in touch with the contemporary world around her as evidenced in her sense of style. She was hands-down the “Best Dressed Woman” everywhere she went throughout her 91 years.

She was predeceased by her three siblings, Bonnie Mabel (Rogers) Dawson, Geneva (Rogers) Monts and Arthur Doyle Rogers. She is survived by her five children, Franklin Musser Rivers, MD of Belton, TX, Robin Rivers of Crystal City, TX, Heather Laurie (Rivers) Biernat of Palestine, TX, Michele Elise (Rivers) Cartafalsa of Houston, TX and Melissa Lee (Rivers) Rice of Brattleboro, VT as well as thirteen grandchildren, seventeen great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

A Memorial service will be held on April 27th at 12:30p in Houston at the Memorial Oaks Funeral Home and Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in her honor to Operation Smile or Doctors Without Borders.