Verna Lewis

Verna Mae Lewis, 83, passed away December 4, 2015, at Morning Star Assisted Living Center surrounded by her family. Verna was born July 24, 1932, in Rigby, Idaho, to Frank LeRoy Call and Ila Mary Wareham. The doctor bill was paid in pigs. She was the oldest of three. She had a sister, Loma, and little brother, Arlen. She grew up and attended school in Rigby, graduating from Rigby High. Verna was always tenacious. When she was five and on a family trip, she fell out of a car around the Portneuf Gap going 5O mph. She rolled down into a barrow pit, got up, and chased after the car, yelling, "Don't leave me!" She was the typical teenager. She liked chasing boys, cruising Main and State, and hanging out in the local soda shop. She liked dances and, in her words, "going home with the guys that had the cars." She loved to see people's reactions when she told them that she was a Call girl from Rigby. She married Blair Stanley Lewis in Rigby on Nov. 2, 1951. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Idaho Falls LDS Temple on February 20, 1971. They lived above the Royal Theater until their first two children, Michael Blair and Roxanne, came along. They tried California for a couple of weeks before returning to Idaho Falls, where they made their first home on Lincoln Dr. In 1959, they moved to the (then) outskirts of town on Wyatt Ave. in Hidden Village. That's where David Brett joined and completed their family. They lived there for 47 years. Verna was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served as Relief Society President of the 25th Ward for 10 years. She and Blair served on three missions, one at the Temple Visitor's Center and two more at the Family History Center in Idaho Falls. She was a talented seamstress; Verna made all of her daughter's clothes from grade school through high school. Verna loved to sing. Besides being in and sometimes leading her church choir, she toured with the Sweet Adelines chorus for many years. Verna worked as a waitress at the White Elephant and later for Harry Yee and Sammy Wong at the Bonneville Hotel. When her kids were older, she volunteered at Riverview Hospital. She was an original Pink Lady. She passed out magazines and books to patients. She made outfits for all of the newborns. She supplied and ran the hospital gift shop. Eventually, Verna became the president of the auxiliary. She volunteered more than 14,000 hours. Her name is on a plaque that hangs by the volunteer office at EIRMC. In 2002, EIRMC awarded her with the FRIST Humanitarian Award for Excellence. Verna cared for Blair until he died in 2005. She then lived with and cared for her mother Ila, until her death. Later, she moved to Fairwinds-Sand Creek retirement home, where she made new friends and rediscovered acquaintances from her youth. She became best friends with Myrna Stoddart. Myrna and Verna did everything together and had a lot of fun. They were affectionately known as the "Erna" Twins. Verna is survived by son, Brett (Linda) Lewis of Idaho Falls; daughter, Roxanne (Neil) Pfunder of Idaho Falls; and her sister, Loma (Rex) Graham of Las Vegas. She has seven grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Blair Stanley Lewis; son, Michael Blair; mother and father, Ila Mary and Frank Leroy Call; brother, Arlen Call. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, December 12, 2015, at the Brentwood LDS Chapel, 2040 Brentwood Drive. The family will visit with friends on Friday from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Wood Funeral Home, 273 N. Ridge Ave., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. prior to the service at the church. Burial will follow the service at Fielding Memorial Park, next to her eternal companion. Her family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to Encompass Home Health and Hospice for making her last days comfortable; to Morningstar Memory Care, especially Ashley Allison, for the love and support she gave to Verna; and Fairwinds Retirement Community for bringing back the spark and sparkle in her. She will be remembered for her enduring compassion and the love she gave to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Funeral Services will be held