Verna Mae Worden

Surrounded by her family in her final moments, Verna’s independent spirit and fierce love for her family and friends stayed with her until the very end.

Born on June 9, 1943, in Detroit, Michigan, Verna was always a woman ahead of her time. Verna was known for her generosity, intelligence, sarcastic sense of humor, and love for her family and friends. If she was not out shopping, which she also loved, she could usually be found thinking of ways to show her loved ones how much she cared. If you were on Verna’s holiday card list or Valentine’s Day card list, you were on it forever.

Verna was also known for her independence and strength. She worked hard her entire life to provide for her family, whether it was with the Detroit Police Department or the Hallmark store. Verna never shied away from hard work and never gave up, two characteristics she passed on to her children and grandchildren.

She is survived by her loving husband, Harlan, Sr., and her beloved children Harlan, Jr., Amy, and Josh; her cherished grandchildren, Xavier and Scarlett who call her GG and GiGi. Verna also enjoyed a close and loving relationship with her daughter-in-law, Megan, and she had many friends who became family. Verna was preceded in death by her father, Wilson, her mother Thelma, her bonus mother, Millie, and her brother Bill.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, February 20, 2026, at Pixley Funeral Home in Rochester, Michigan. Verna’s family will host a viewing for her friends and loved ones at 11 am, with a service at noon.

In honor of Verna’s generosity throughout her life, in lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation in Verna’s name to The Community Foundation Women’s Fund, administered by the Community Foundation of Greater Rochester.