Memorial

Verna May Murray, age 98, of Kissimmee, Florida, formerly of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died Friday, July 31, 2015 at Cornerstone Hospice of Winter Park Towers in Florida.

Mass of the Resurrection will be held 10:00 a.m. Friday, August 21, 2015 at St. Matthew Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids.  Interment will take place at the Mt. Calvary Cemetery.  Visitation will be held from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. Thursday at the Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home, where a prayer service will begin at 7:00 p.m.

Verna was born April 26, 1917 in Britt, Iowa the daughter of Frank and Elizabeth (Sullivan) Steinhoff.  She was united in marriage to Leighton Murray.  To this union three children were born.

Verna worked as an office manager for the Abell-Howe Company for nearly thirty years until her retirement in 1986.  She was a member of St. Matthew Catholic Church, where she was active with the St. Monica Circle and sang with the funeral choir for many years.

Verna was an advocate for the Quota Club, a non-profit organization which empowers women, children, the deaf, hard-of-hearing, and speech-impaired in local communities around the world.  She first became a member of Quota International of Cedar Rapids in 1966.  She went on to serve as the president of the Cedar Rapids club for two terms, 1972 and 1977.  She served as the District Governor for the 1975-76 term, and later was the Area Director of Quota International and a member of the International Board from 1981 until 1983.  Her involvement with the Quota Club gave her the opportunity to travel internationally, including Singapore and Australia.

Verna was involved in competitive ballroom dancing for many years.  She specialized in the Latin dances like the rumba, salsa, and tango, and won many awards.  She traveled the United States for dance competitions. She continued to dance non-competitively, notably with a group of ladies on Thursday nights in Davenport.  Verna also loved to sing.  She was a member of Sweet Adelines, and had the opportunity to travel and perform internationally with her local group.

Verna is survived by three children: Patricia Crosswhite of Saugus, California; Charles (Hermina) Murray of Kissimmee, Florida; and Linda Reichert of Cedar Rapids; five grandchildren: Michael Wolf of Palmdale, California; Christopher Wolf of Canyon Country, California; Kimberly (John) Fitzgerald of Bryan, Texas; Brian Reichert of Ames; and Erin Reichert of West Des Moines; three great-grandchildren; brother Frank (Evelyn) Steinhoff of Garden Grove, California; and dear friend of the family, Luke Reichert of Cedar Rapids.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband in 1964; two brothers; and one sister.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a charitable donation in Verna’s memory to Quota International of Cedar Rapids: 3836 Belden Court NE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, 52402.