Verna Louise Johnson

Verna L. Johnson, 88, of Bettendorf, IA passed away Thursday, April 22, 2021 at Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House after a brief battle with cancer. A celebration of life will be held on Friday, May 7, 2021 at St. Paul Lutheran Church at 11am; visitation will be held beforehand starting at 9:30am. A livestream of the memorial service will begin at 11am on the Weerts Funeral Home FaceBook page. Memorials in Verna’s memory may be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church or to the Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House.

Verna was born on May 20, 1932 to Howard and Alberta Barkman in Moline, Illinois. Following high school, Verna went on to become a Registered Nurse and worked at various hospitals in Wisconsin and Moline, Illinois. She retired after 40+ years in 1995. On September 25, 1999, she married Raymond Johnson; he preceded her in death on February 19, 2020. Verna was an active member at St. Paul Lutheran Church, the Alumni Association of Moline, and she helped with Nurses Training at the Moline Public Hospital (Trinity Hospital). Her steadfast faith, service and empathy for others, and determination were qualities that made her special to all who knew her.

Verna is survived by her step-daughters Michele Neverman, Christine (Larry) Beebe, and Julie (Joe) Needham; nine grandchildren; seventeen great-grandchildren; sister Kathleen Walther; nephews Gregg (Dawn) and Mark (Judy) Walther.

She was preceded in death by her husband Ray; parents; her sister Barbara Barkman; brother-in-law E. Robert Walther.