Verna Marie Ziegenhagen, 103

Verna Marie Ziegenhagen, 103, of Kilkenny, died Thursday, July 16, 2020, at Central Health Care in Le Center. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, July 21 from 11 a.m. to 12:45 a.m. at the Le Center Funeral Home. Funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Le Center with Pastor Ally Bowman officiating. Interment will be in Greenwood Cemetery.

Verna was born on February 19, 1917, at home in Lexington Township, the place she lived her entire life to Henry and Rosa (Bornholdt) Ziegenhagen. Verna attended country school District 99, McKinley High School from 1929-1933, Teacher Training in Le Center from 1933-1934 and Mankato State for her BS Degree.

Verna taught at Country Schools in Le Sueur County for 17 years, 4th grade in Le Sueur Public School for 36 years for a total of 53 years of teaching. She served on State Delegate Assembly for 20 years, was department chairperson of Elementary School in Le Sueur, was “Teacher of the Year” 2 different times while in Le Sueur and each time was a Teacher of Excellence in Minnesota and is mentioned in the United States Congress minutes in 2003.

Verna attended and volunteered regularly at her church, taught Sunday School for 22 years and prepared some classes for Confirmation, was a choir member many years, and served on the Altar Guild. She enjoyed bowling, leather work and loved teaching children. She bought a school house and moved it to her family farm that she had many treasures in and gave many tours.

Verna is survived by her niece, Andrea (Marvin) Edel, Carol (Danny) Smith; nephew, Bil (Karen) Hawks; great-nephews, Mitchell Schleis (Tammy Marsden), Michael (Michelle) Hawks and their children, Shelby, Allison, Michael Jr., Steve (Carol) Hawks, Mark (Kim) Hawks; great-nieces, Annette (Danny) Gregor and their children, Zach (Amy) Gregor and their children, Michael and Elijah; Justin Gregor and his daughter, Bralynn; and Ashley Gregor, Lisa (Bob) Farrell and their son, Robby, and Gloria Hawks; many co-workers, students, and friends.

Verna is preceded in death by parents; sisters, Irma Hawks and Rosa Guessen; brother-in-law, Cleo Hawks; nephew, Bob (Elizabeth) Hawks; niece, Sherin Hawks.

Arrangements are with the Le Center Funeral Home 507-357-6116. On-line condolences may be left at www.lecenterfuneralhome.com.