Verna M. Nicholson

Name: Visitation
Start: 01/14/2023 10:00 AM
End: 01/14/2023 11:00 AM
Location: Miller Funeral Home & Crematory

February 12, 1929 — January 8, 2023

Verna M. Nicholson, 93, of Spring Lake Park, went home to be with the Lord while asleep at her home on January 8, 2023. Verna was born February 12, 1929 to August and Bertha Kilde in Hornet Township, North of Blackduck MN, the sixth of eleven children in a close, loving, musically gifted family.

She accepted Christ as her Savior at the age of 12 during an evangelistic meeting led by Herb Rockensock at the Hornet Town Hall. She was a faithful follower of Christ the rest of her life. Like her mother, she showed Christ’s love and grace to everyone she met, loving unreservedly. She had a way of making those who knew her feel special.

Verna graduated from Blackduck H.S. in 1947, lettering in choral music. She married the love of her life, Roy Nicholson, October 30, 1948, in Blackduck. They lived in Wadena, rural Blackduck, St. Paul, Duluth, the Evergreen Trailer Park near Aurora, Eveleth, Napa CA, rural Grand Rapids MN and Spring Lake Park.

She taught Sunday School in Napa, playing guitar and singing for Sunday School and church. A gracious hostess, she enjoyed fellowship with the women’s group in Napa and the Birthday Club in Spring Lake Park. Verna was part of the MOPS childcare team at Emmanuel Christian Center for many years. She also provided childcare in her home.

She was a wonderful mother and homemaker. She was especially known for her baking skills, forming perfectly round buns, bread loaves, cinnamon rolls, pies, and cookies. She enjoyed having coffee with friends and family at her kitchen table.

Extended family was always very important. Mom loved being with her people on both sides of the family. Mom and Dad looked forward to the annual Kilde Reunion at the Hornet Town Hall. Later mom would attend the reunion now being held at the site of her childhood home. They loved camping at Webster Lake near Blackduck, where local relatives would come to visit. They also cherished the annual Nicholson extended family campout at McCarthy Beach State Park each September.

In retirement they enjoyed traveling in their conversion van to the North Shore, Southern Illinois, Texas, Florida, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. They attended grandchildren’s college graduations in Greenville South Carolina and a wedding in Ohio.

She was preceded in death by infant son Roy Vernan (1960) and husband Roy (2002). She is survived by her children, Allen (Barb), Dennis (Terri), John (Jan), Don (Sherry), Ron, and Joy (Tim) Berg; sister Jennie Hanson, sister-in-law Camilla (Kilde) Scott, 16 grandchildren, 55 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great-grandchild, and many nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 11:00 AM on January 14, 2022, at West River Road Baptist Church, 8801 W. River Road, Brooklyn Park MN. Visitation will precede the service at 10:00. Interment will be at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.

The family is thankful for the compassionate care of Verna and her family caregivers provided by her hospice team from AccentCare Fairview Health Services.

Arrangements by Miller Funeral Home and Crematory of Fridley, www.millerfuneralfridley.com