Verna Marie (Rockwell) May, 78, of Atkinson, IL, passed away on Monday, January 3, 2022, at Hammond Henry Hospital, Geneseo. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, January 13, 2022, at St. Anthony Catholic Church, Atkinson, IL. Reverend S. Stephen Engelbrecht will celebrate. Burial will follow at Greenview Memorial Gardens, East Moline, IL. Visitation will be from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 12, 2022, at Vandemore Funeral Homes & Crematory – Atkinson Chapel. A Recitation of the Rosary will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, at the funeral home. Memorials may be directed to St. Anthony Catholic Church and Atkinson Fire and Rescue Squad.
Verna was born on May 20, 1943, the daughter of Harry and Loretta (Rodgers) Rockwell, in Moline, IL. She was a 1961 graduate of Alleman High School, Rock Island, IL. On April 28, 1962, Verna married George Arnold May at St. Anne Catholic Church, East Moline, IL. She was employed as a clerk for 13 years at Rock Island Lines, 3 years for Burlington Northern Line.
Those left to cherish her memory include her husband, George May, Atkinson, IL; sons, Timothy (Donna) May, Manitowoc, WI, and Scott (Cathy) May, Geneseo, IL; daughters, Deborah (Matt) Casteel, Cambridge, IL, and Wendy (Augie) Rodemeyer, Mineral, IL; grandchildren, Kaila (Bryce) Hemphill, Kristin (Alex Brown) May, Nick (Sarah) Flood, Lauren (Zack) Chadwick, Derek May, Carolyn (Mike) Lindh, Jeremy May, Jessica (Ryan) Akers, Jenna (Scott Stephens) Casteel, Morgan May; great grandchildren, Bentley and Penelope Hemphill, Jameson and Felicity Chadwick, Amelia and Harrison Akers, and Molly Battin.; brother, Robert (Sue) Rockwell; sisters, Annabelle Smith, Silvis, IL, and Marian Mitchell, Colona.
Verna was preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Loretta Rockwell; infant daughter, Penelope May; brothers, Richard and Raymond Rockwell; and sister, Myrtle Yodts.