Verna Eileen (Billings) Foster, 94 was called home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on July 8, 2023 at Chadron Community Hospital. Memorial services will be held at the United Methodist Church, Hay Springs on July 15 at 10:00 am with Pastors Richard McKay and Paul Smith presiding.
Verna was born July 9, 1928 at the Smalley farm west of Springview, to Jay Loy (JL) Billings and Myrtle Mary (Reynolds) Billings. She was baptized at Kewanee by Samuel Waring of Valentine.
She attended Turkey Creek School in Keya Paha County through 6th grade, then the family moved to the Billings ranch at the Lost Creek Community where she completed 8th grade. Verna graduated from Keya Paha County High School in Springview in May 1945 at the age of 16.
Verna was united in marriage to John K. Foster, May 26, 1945, in a home wedding. After John returned from the Service, they began farming and ranching near Bassett, then on the Foster home place at Kewanee. In 1961, they moved to the ranch at Cody and then later to Hay Springs where they resided in Antelope Valley until John passed away on April 27, 1998. To this union were born Connie Sue, June 11, 1950 in Bassett, Donna Loy, June 30, 1952 and Samuel Allen, October 6, 1956 in Valentine.
Verna enjoy playing games, cards, crafts, sewing, gardening, baking, helping others and keeping busy. She especially loved music, playing trumpet into her 80’s and had a keen memory for songs from the 30’s and 40’s. She also enjoyed trivia. She taught in rural schools for 20 years while working toward her college degree, graduating from Chadron State College in 1971. As a teacher, she enjoyed playing baseball and sledding with the school kids. Later, she worked for Dayco in Alliance for 14 years receiving the Outstanding Employee Award. She belonged to RSVP, Red Hatters, Farm Bureau and attended New Hope Friends Church. She resided at Pioneer Manor for 6 years.
Surviving Verna are daughters Connie Foster of Oxford and Donna (Conrad) Bostron of Gering. Grandchildren Shawn (Cassie) Garner of Lincoln, Surena (Chris) McMullen of Grand Island, Subrena Garner of Norfolk, Gunnery Sgt. Allen Bostron, USMC stationed in Japan, Bethany (Ryan) Soye of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 12 great grandchildren and one great, great grandchild , many nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, son Samuel Allen, granddaughter Laura Lea, brothers Virgil and Dale, all of her sisters and brothers in laws being the last of her generation for both the Billings and Foster families.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in her name may be given to the Hay Springs Ambulance or New Hope Friends Church.