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Verla Courtright

Verla
Courtright ,70,of rural Memphis, Missouri passed away at the Scotland County
Care Center early Tuesday morning, February 2, 2010, after losing a long battle
with cancer.

The daughter of
Vernon Edward and Edith Ruth Rider Swartz, she was born on October 12, 1939 in
Ottumwa, Iowa.

Verla grew up
in rural Van Buren County, Iowa where she attended and graduated from Keosauqua
High School. She was involved in the Prairie Pals 4-H Club and the United
Methodist Center Chapel in her youth, Methodist Youth Fellowship.

She married
Duane Clark (Corky) Courtright on September 16, 1956 and to this union three
children were born. After their marriage they moved to the Memphis area.

She kept busy
being a homemaker and doing books for Duane’s logging business. Along with that
Verla worked at the Junction Cafe, SCR1 School Dietary Supervisor, Gas &
More Greenhouse, Thrift Shop, Antique Fair quilt show, volunteering at the
Methodist Church, put her time in at the MO Show Me Speedway in Downing,
Missouri, working with her chickens and delivering eggs to her friends. She
loved to talk to anyone that would join in the conversation and visit. Some of
her hobbies she loved doing was reading, knitting, crocheting, needlepoint,
working in her flower gardens, and feeding the birds along with her cats and
dogs. In the Christmas season she would make nativity scenes for the Bazaar.
Rarely if ever did she miss an event that involved her children or
grandchildren and always thought of others first.

She was
preceded in death by her husband, a son, Steve Courtright and her parents, one
sister Edna Mae Savage.

She is survived
by two sons, Doug (Kelley) Courtright of Kansas City, Missouri and Bob (Barbie)
Courtright of rural Memphis, Missouri; two grandchildren, Brittney (Ryan) Hinds
of Lincoln, Nebraska and Brett Courtright of Kansas City, Missouri, a
brother-in-law, Elwood (Madeline) Courtright of Kansas City, Missouri; several
nieces, nephews and many friends who will miss her dearly.

Memorials are
suggested to the Hospice of Northeast Missouri or the Scotland County Cancer
Fund and can be left at or mailed to the Payne Funeral Chapel, 202 E. Madison
St., Memphis, Missouri 63555.

Funeral
services were held Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010, at 11:00 a.m. at the Payne Funeral
Chapel in Memphis with Pastor Terry Lippstreu officiating. Interment followed
in the Memphis Cemetery.

Musicians were
Terry Lippstreu soloist and Angela Westhoff organist.

Pallbearers
were Gary Young, Jeff Brandon, Mike Hill, David Courtright, Brett Courtright
and Jr. Jones. Honorary Pallbearers were Helen & Winnie Hill, Millie &
Junior Elliott and Lily & Dave Brandon.

Arrangements
were under the direction of the Payne Funeral Chapel in Memphis.