Vera L. Hardung

Vera L. Hardung died at the age of 93 on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at her home in Mesquite, Nev.

She was born on April 21, 1920, to William and Marie Ehlers in Leigh, Neb.

Raised on a cattle and wheat ranch in Eastern Washington, she learned the value of hard work, a love of land and the outdoors. One of her life goals was to own her own ranch. She worked diligently and was able to buy a ranch near Grand Coulee before she was 30.

Vera used the same dedication to meet another important goal.

In 1943, she graduated from Washington State University as a pharmacist. She worked in a variety of towns in Eastern Washington as one of the few women pharmacists of the time.

She treasured her pharmacy license and continued to maintain it until a few years ago.

In the Mesquite area, she was best known for her long daily walks. She loved to stop and visit with those she met while walking. Often people have told her family that they didn’t know her name but knew who she was.

She was a founding member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. She enjoyed activities with the church including Bible studies.

Most importantly, she treasured the friends that she met through the church.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 56 years, Lavene H. Hardung.

She is survived by her three children; Rebecca (Mike) Botsford; Lisa Hardung; and Kurt (Lori) Hardung; two grandchildren, Katie and Alex Hardung; her “other son,” Kelvin (Chloe) Lee and family; as well as many wonderful, thoughtful and supportive friends.

In lieu of memorials the family requests that in her memory do some of her favorite things like take a long walk; plant and enjoy flowers and tomatoes; go to church with friends; quilt, especially make baby quilts; make jam and then give it away.

Virgin Valley Mortuary is entrusted with the arrangements. An online memorial guestbook is available at the website at http://www.virginvalleymortuary.com.