Larned – Verna Lea Stauffer, 99, passed away November 29, 2012, in Orange, California, after returning home to hospice care from a week long hospitalization. She was born May 30, 1913, the second of five children of Elgie Ortho Hunsley and Ada Lea Hunsley who farmed land outside of Larned for nearly 27 years.
After graduation from Larned High School she worked in the Larned Montgomery Wards store where she met her first husband Kenneth Leroy McDonald and on New Years Day 1938 they married, later giving birth to her only child Kenneth Lee McDonald on May 21, 1941. They moved to Salina where her husband continued his employment with Montgomery Wards until after WWII and domestic complications resulted in divorce. In 1948 Verna Lea remarried Chester Davis, a six year navy veteran of WWII who had recently moved to Salina, to sell Victory Life Insurance. She remained happily married until fate took her second husband in a 1958 car accident. During the 50's Verna Lea managed the women's clothing department in the Stiefels Department Store in Salina. In 1961 Verna Lea married Richard Stauffer a former educator, Brown Mackie School of Business representative and Mutual of Omaha Insurance Regional Manager. After Stiefels closed their doors permanently in the early 1960's, Verna Lea worked at Barton Webster Jewelers in Salina. After 30 years of marriage to Mr. Stauffer, he passed away and she lived independently in Salina until a fall resulted in a hip injury. After her nearly 94 years as a resident of Kansas in January 2008 her son arranged for her to live in an assisted living and later a nursing care facility near his home in Orange, California. Despite many difficult times throughout her life, she was always cheerful, introspective about her faith and member of the Salina First Methodist Church. She is survived by her son, Ken McDonald (Ann). Two step sons, Gene Stauffer (JoAnn) of Topeka, Darrell Stauffer (Kay) of Champaign, Ill, two sisters, Genevieve Hewson, of Westminster, CO, Francis Beeson (Don) of Medford, OR and their extended families. Verna Lea Stauffer is returning to her hometown of Larned from California to be laid to rest with her parents and siblings in the Larned Cemetery family plot. There will be a brief graveside ceremony at 3:00p.m. Wednesday, December 5, 2012, at the Larned Cemetery, with Rev. Bethann Black presiding. Beckwith Mortuary, Box 477 Larned, Ks 67550, is in charge of arrangements.