Vernelle Ness

Vernelle Ness, age 97, of Stillwater, MN, formerly of Aberdeen, South Dakota, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Easter morning, April 17, 2022.

Preceded in death by husband, Emil Ness; son, Allan; parents, Magnus and Selma Boe; and brother, M. Stanley Boe.  

She will be sadly missed by daughters, Vickie (Virgil) Paulson and Jody (Bob) Singleton; daughter-in-law, Joanne Ness; grandchildren, Troy Ness, Julie (Scott) Strand, Heather (Tim) Harding, Andrew (Ponnie Vajh) Singleton, Kimberly (Mark) Ecker, Scott Feiock; great-grandchildren, Lauren, Nathan, Wyatt, Allie, Zack, Katie, Esperanza, Cora, Zeke, Alora, Gavan, Wren, Laine, and Summer; sisters-in-law, Arlene Boe and Shirley (Ness) Syhre and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

Vernelle was born to Magnus Boe and Selma (Brekke) Boe on May 5, 1924 in Day Co., South Dakota. As children, she and her brother Stan were raised and lived with their grandparents Andrew and Bertha Brekke, and aunt and uncle Ed and Olga Stadsklev after the death of their parents. She attended country school south of Andover and later attended and graduated from Pierpont high school in 1942 as salutatorian. She married Emil Ness of Pierpont, SD on September 28, 1944. Together, they farmed and lived in Pierpont SD. Following those years they also lived in Aberdeen SD and for a short time in Chamberlain SD. For the last eleven years Vernelle had lived with her daughter Jody and son-in-law Bob in Stillwater MN.

During the War, Vernelle managed the Webster Red Owl grocery store. For nine years she and her husband owned and operated the Jack and Jill Grocery Store in Pierpont. She worked in several other businesses in Aberdeen. She also had a South Dakota real estate license. She was confirmed at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Pierpont SD where she was an active member and sang in the church choir. In Aberdeen she and her husband were members of Bethlehem Lutheran Church. In addition she was an active member of the American Legion Auxiliary since she was 9 years old.