Verna Greene

Ulysses, KS — Verna Greene, 91, of Ulysses, KS, died Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2025 at St. Catherine's Hospital in Garden City, KS, with her family at her side.

Visitation was held Friday, Sept. 19, 2025 at Garnand Funeral Home in Ulysses, KS with a prayer service.

Funeral services were held Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025 at Country View Baptist Church in Ulysses, KS. Pastor James Berry officiated.

Burial was in the Ulysses Cemetery in Ulysses, KS.

Memorials may be made to Country View Baptist Church in care of Garnand Funeral Home, 405 W. Grant Ave., Ulysses, KS 67880 in Verna's name.

Verna was born March 9, 1934, to Charles V. and Bernita (Marietta) Pepper in Kendall, KS. She was born the second of five children. She faced adversity early in life which shaped the person she became. With the death of her beloved mother while barely a teenager herself, Verna came to appreciate the value of a close-knit, loving family as her father, her sister and she helped care for the younger siblings. 

She attended a country school in Hamilton County, then another country school in Satanta when her family moved to the Carbon Black Plant at Ryus, KS. That is where she met the man she married Paul Greene. Their relationship began with a common love for music, and they filled their home with delightful living room music throughout the years. With great joy they welcomed their children Charles, Jerry, Paula,and Leela into their family. As a married couple, they lived in Satanta, KS, at the camp at Mobil Oil, and in Ulysses, KS. They were married for 52 wonderful years. 

Verna was a woman of many talents, and she did them all very well. She was an artist who enjoyed pastels and oil painting. She was a cake decorator (including elaborate wedding cakes), a baker, expert bread and pie maker, and an amazing cook. She was a creative quilter and seamstress, with the ability to make clothes from a picture without a pattern. One of her specialties was crocheted name doilies. She enjoyed growing flowers, vegetables and canning produce to feed her family. She was a self-taught pianist who played by ear and used every key on the piano. She loved reading, especially God's word. She authored a delightful book of memoirs and compiled many scrapbooked photo albums. She treasured hosting friends and family in her home.

She was involved in her community through serving at her church by teaching Sunday school for children and teens, helping with Vacation Bible School, serving on many committees and participating with her family providing special music at church on numerous occasions. She was a member of the Order of the Eastern Star, the ladies' auxiliary for the Masonic Lodge and was a faithful member of Country View Baptist Church. Her deep faith and her personal relationship with Jesus was the most important thing in life to her. 

Verna is survived by a sister Violet Lighty of Choctaw, OK; a brother Verle (Marie) Pepper of Moline, KS; her four children Charles (Mitsue) Greene and Jerry (Doris) Greene, all of Ulysses, KS, Paula (Irwin) McClanahan of O'Neill and Leela (Michael) Zeeb of McMinnville, OR; 11 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren. 

She was preceded in death by her parents, one brother Grant Pepper, one sister Venita Chamberlain, one grandson-in-law Steven Rowlee and her beloved husband Paul Greene.     

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.garnandfuner alhomes.com.