Verla Jean Waite
1929 – 2025
Verla Jean Waite was born on March 6, 1929, in Stratton, Colorado, to Edwin and Wilora Waite. She passed away peacefully on May 20, 2025, at the age of 96. A devoted mother, grandmother, friend, and woman of quiet grace, she lived a full and loving life rooted in faith, family, and community.
She grew up in Guthrie, Oklahoma and graduated from Guthrie High School in 1947, where she played alto saxophone for the high school band for three years. Verla went on to earn her bachelor's degree from the Oklahoma College for Women in Chickasha, Oklahoma—an achievement she was especially proud of. She later worked for many years as a secretary in the field of civil engineering for CH Guernsey, where her dedication, precision, and steady presence were deeply valued.
She married one of the loves of her life, Joe Farmer, at a church in her hometown of Guthrie. Joe preceded her in death in 1980, but their bond remained a lasting source of strength and memory. Later in life she married a cousin, Wendel Waite. Verla created a blended family of previous cousins who suddenly became a fun-loving family of stepsiblings.
Her journey took her through several homes, including Oklahoma City, Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Edmond, Oklahoma. In every place she lived, she cultivated a sense of peace and warmth—not only through her loving nature, but also through her love of gardening. Her hands were rarely far from the earth, and her gardens were a living testament to her patience, care, and joy in nurturing life.
More than anything, she cherished her role as a mother. Her children and extended family were the light of her life and the source of her greatest pride. Her love for her family was unwavering and unconditional, and her presence in their lives was a steady source of comfort and guidance.
She will be remembered for her kindness, her steady strength, her green thumb, and the gentle way she made others feel at home in her presence. She leaves behind a legacy of love, dignity, and quiet resilience that will continue to bloom in the hearts of those who knew her.
Verla was preceded in death by her husbands Joe Farmer and Wendel Waite; her parents Edwin Waite and Wilora Waite; and her brother Darrol Waite.
She is survived by her sons Patrick Farmer and David Farmer; step children Lloyd Waite, Kirk Waite, Patsy Bolin, and Terri Perrin, step grandchildren Ken Waite, Kody Waite, Chase Waite, Mandy Young, Jami Brown, Leslie Mallory; and many other relatives and friends.
Services will be held on Wednesday, May 28, 2025, beginning at 2:00 p.m. at the Matthews Funeral Home Chapel in Edmond, OK.