Verna was born in Independence, MS in 1889. The family moved to Shelby County, TN about 1904 and her parents built a home in 1910.
She was valedictorian of her high school class graduating in 1907. After attending West Tennessee Normal School, she began teaching at Peabody Elementary School in 1912. She taught 6th grade for 47 years and retired in 1959.
Her summertime hobbies included growing vegetables and playing bridge. She was an ardent baseball fan and wrote statistics on every game she watched.
Verna lived in the Memphis home with several generations of family. First, with her parents, sister, and brother. She married in July of 1918 and her only child, a daughter, was born in August 1919. In her later years, Mrs. Coates shared the home with her daughter, son-in-law and three grandchildren.
She was nicknamed "Bernie" because when her first grandchild heard her being called Verna, he tried to say that but it came out Bernie.
In her retirement years, she enjoyed watching TV and working crossword puzzles. She was a member of St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Memphis.
She was valedictorian of her high school class graduating in 1907. After attending West Tennessee Normal School, she began teaching at Peabody Elementary School in 1912. She taught 6th grade for 47 years and retired in 1959.
Her summertime hobbies included growing vegetables and playing bridge. She was an ardent baseball fan and wrote statistics on every game she watched.
Verna lived in the Memphis home with several generations of family. First, with her parents, sister, and brother. She married in July of 1918 and her only child, a daughter, was born in August 1919. In her later years, Mrs. Coates shared the home with her daughter, son-in-law and three grandchildren.
She was nicknamed "Bernie" because when her first grandchild heard her being called Verna, he tried to say that but it came out Bernie.
In her retirement years, she enjoyed watching TV and working crossword puzzles. She was a member of St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Memphis.
Verna was born in Independence, MS in 1889. The family moved to Shelby County, TN about 1904 and her parents built a home in 1910.
She was valedictorian of her high school class graduating in 1907. After attending West Tennessee Normal School, she began teaching at Peabody Elementary School in 1912. She taught 6th grade for 47 years and retired in 1959.
Her summertime hobbies included growing vegetables and playing bridge. She was an ardent baseball fan and wrote statistics on every game she watched.
Verna lived in the Memphis home with several generations of family. First, with her parents, sister, and brother. She married in July of 1918 and her only child, a daughter, was born in August 1919. In her later years, Mrs. Coates shared the home with her daughter, son-in-law and three grandchildren.
She was nicknamed "Bernie" because when her first grandchild heard her being called Verna, he tried to say that but it came out Bernie.
In her retirement years, she enjoyed watching TV and working crossword puzzles. She was a member of St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Memphis.
She was valedictorian of her high school class graduating in 1907. After attending West Tennessee Normal School, she began teaching at Peabody Elementary School in 1912. She taught 6th grade for 47 years and retired in 1959.
Her summertime hobbies included growing vegetables and playing bridge. She was an ardent baseball fan and wrote statistics on every game she watched.
Verna lived in the Memphis home with several generations of family. First, with her parents, sister, and brother. She married in July of 1918 and her only child, a daughter, was born in August 1919. In her later years, Mrs. Coates shared the home with her daughter, son-in-law and three grandchildren.
She was nicknamed "Bernie" because when her first grandchild heard her being called Verna, he tried to say that but it came out Bernie.
In her retirement years, she enjoyed watching TV and working crossword puzzles. She was a member of St. Luke's United Methodist Church in Memphis.
