Verna Hezekiah Burkhart was one of three children borne of the union of Hezekiah Davidson Burkhart (1853-1924) and Emily Mary Geisendorfer (1860-1899). She was born on April 13th, 1888 on her family's farm in the area on the outskirts of Albany known as Price, which was a portion of her grandfather's (Leander Columbus Burkhart) original donation land claim, which had, at one time, totaled 640 acres. She was the youngest child and only daughter, her two older brothers being Leander Kenneth Burkhart, b. Sep 15, 188, and John Geisendorfer Burkhart, b.July 22, 1884. Her parents felt that a good education and a strong faith in God were vital for both their sons and daughter, so all children attended school while their father farmed the rich land of the Willamette Valley that had induced so many people to relocate in the Pacific Northwest during the 1840's and 1850's, a trip that took an average of five months and was about 2,000 miles long, most of it on foot. Verna was just ten years old when her mother died on March 14th, 1899. With heavy hearts, her family buried her at Knox Butte Cemetery, East of Albany, Linn County, Oregon. The following year, the 1900 Census shows that Verna's father continued to farm their land and her brothers continued to attend school. Verna married William B. Crofton, the son of Irish immigrants, b. 1868 in either Iowa or New York [census records indicate both locations], on Oct 1st, 1909 in Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon. Their only child, a son named after his father as William Burke Crofton, was born on Aug 19, 1910 in Portland, Oregon, where his parents made their home, although Verna's husband was a stock man for a sheep ranch. They owned their home on 825 East 18th North in Portland, valued at $7000. In answer to a census question, they stated they owned a radio. In 1935, the family was in San Diego, California. Verna and William returned to Portland as they were living in their home, now listed as 2525 NE 18th, in Portland, and valued at $4900. Their son had remained in San Diego where, when the 1940 Census was conducted, he lived with his wife, Lee (Krone), a California native, age 23, and his one month old son, William Burke Crofton, Jr., at 1400 West "G", in San Diego, CA. Rent was $13.00 per month. He was employed as a Mechanical Engineer at General Marine Repair and his wife was a Bookkeeper at that same business. William H. Crofton died on Aug 5th, 1947, at the age of 79 yrs. and was buried at Lincoln Memorial Park in Portland, Multnomah Co., Oregon in the Laurel Section of the cemetery. Verna lived until Feb 11, 1962 and was interred with her husband at Lincoln Memorial Park. Tragically, both William Burke Crofton and his wife, Lee, were killed in a traffic accident in San Diego, California on Oct 8, 1991. William's ashes were scattered and Lee was buried at Carmel Valley Cemetery, San Diego, San Diego Co., California.