Verna Mae Laking (Rayburn)

Verna Mae (Rayburn) Laking, age 70, of Deerfield, MI gracefully departed this life surrounded in love at 2:07 pm Friday March 18th, 2022 at the Promedica Skilled Nursing facility in Ann Arbor MI from metastatic melanoma.

Verna entered this life at 6:06pm July 16th, 1951 in Detroit, MI. She was the first born daughter of William and Verna (Picton) Rayburn, older sister to William Rayburn and Dorothy Lundy, and a proud graduate of Michigan State University. It was there that Verna met her best friend and love of her life Al Laking. The two married on April 14th, 1973 at the chapel in Michigan State University. Together they enjoyed sports, traveling, camping and spending time with family and friends during the first decade of their marriage.

Settling down in the middle of farm fields, Verna had two of her own children, Jessica (Frank) Krueger-Decker and Brad (Allison) Laking. However, Verna truly cared for many of the children in the community of Petersburg, MI where she enjoyed teaching Preschool at Summerfield Elementary School for 20 years.

After retiring, Verna enjoyed traveling the world with Al, spending time with her Grandchildren Jack and Lily Krueger-Decker, and volunteering her time, energy and heart into the community she loved.

In memory of Verna, please consider donating to Children With Hair Loss or the A.B.E. account at Summerfield Schools. Celebration of Life details to be announced.