VerDene Collins

VerDene Webb Collins

December 24, 1923~September 20, 2014

VerDene Webb Collins, 90, died at her home on September 20, 2014 after a short illness. She was born the second of four children of C. Earl Webb and Nellie Donoviel Webb on Christmas Eve 1923 in Ogden, Utah. She is a graduate of Ogden High School, Weber State University and attended the University of Utah.

She began dating the love of her life, Ralph L. Collins in eighth grade, and they were married November 10, 1944. She passed just two months before their 70 anniversary. Passionate parents, VerDene and Ralph raised their two daughters in Ogden. They gave them every advantage in life, including college educations, spending many happy hours camping, and fishing, travelling, and learning to cook, sew and pursue numerous hobbies. She was a beautiful seamstress and made the majority of her girls’ wardrobes including formals for high school and college occasions. Family was paramount to VerDene. She had a very special gift for making us all feel so very special and every occasion memorable. There were “care packages,” over-stuffed Christmas stockings, handcrafted gifts, decorations for every holiday and parties to plan the party. Thank you, Mom, from all of us.

VerDene was a talented musician who began performing as a violin soloist at a very young age. She performed through the community as a child, and much of her adult life. She was a member of the orchestra and a featured violin soloist at Ogden High School and Weber Jr. College graduation ceremonies.

She was a member of the University of Utah Symphony Orchestra and the McCune School of Music Quartet. She was a member of Delta, Delta, Delta Fraternity, Sempre Musical Society, Queen Esther Chapter Order of Eastern Star, and the Presbyterian Church where she was a frequent soloist, a sustaining member of the Junior League of Ogden, and an avid community volunteer.

She was a teacher at Wasatch and Grand View Elementary Schools in Ogden District. The number of former students, including physicians and medical staff who cared for her in her final days, who sought her out to thank her for her work evidenced the impact of her career. Those visits were very special to her, and greatly appreciated.

She was preceded in death by her parents, brother LaMar Webb; son-in-law Melvin Krusell and grandson Scott Thomas. She is survived by her husband, Ralph; daughters Susan Krusell and Sharon (Stuart) Young; sisters Joye (Dwane) Crowl and June DeGoede; grandchildren Chad (Stephanie) Krusell, Tina (Dan) Parker, Kristy (Keeth) Badger and Patrick Young; great grandchildren Sequoia and Chloe Thomas, Griffin and Zoe Krusell, Mackenzie Parker and Emery VerDene Badger.

The family wishes to thank Dr. Rene West, the staff at McKay Dee Hospital, CNS Hospice, her dear Home Helpers Amanda, Dana, Jenny, Jessie, Peg, Sumer, Lisa, and Nicole, her many friends and the great neighbors in Shadow Valley.

Graveside Services will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, September 26th at the Ogden City Cemetery, 1875 Monroe Blvd. Prior to the services, the family will meet with friends from 11:30 to 1:30 p.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary; 3408 Washington Blvd.